The Weimar Republic: The Failure Of Democratic Institutions

Clearly, through a series of economic, sociocultural and political traumas, belief in the nascent democratic order was consistently challenged over the course of 14 years. At its inception, the Weimar Republic inherited a slew of disaffected soldiers and possesed poor infrastructure with which to address their grievances. To make matters worse, the harsh reparation requirements stipulated by the Allies not only served to further weaken Germany’s crippled postwar economy, but also served as an example of the failure of democratic institutions to represent the will of the masses. In 1923, this fiscal issue compounded with a monetary crisis, which destabilized the foundation of the German economy. The devaluation of German currency gave rise to a widespread devaluation of German democracy in the eyes of the citizenry. As this monetary crisis deepened, anti-republican actors clearly attempted to represent the perception of illegitimacy numerous Germans felt in regards to the nascent democratic order. While these authoritarian efforts were undoubtedly snuffed out, they too called into question the ability of Weimar institutions to preserve themselves.
While the standard of living improved, many conservative Germans regarded the trappings of modernity as an affront to the traditional German way of life. Ascribing the presence of these unwanted cultural elements to the Jew, these sociocultural institutions were given intention, which called into question the ability of the Weimar Republic to tend to the perceived internal threat. Finally, this symphony of disbelief crescendoed as the Great Depression sounded the most substantial political, sociocultural, and economic challenge to a republic marred by instability since its