Weimar Republics Government example essay topic

Germany, after the I World War collapsed, and in 1919 the Weimar Republic was formed. It was supposed to be a democratic regime, which was to rebuild the country after the war, and create a stable, predictable country. Unfortunately, many aspects connected with economy, political affairs, tradition, the wartime experience and strict reparations and territory losses, complicated the situation in the Weimar Republic and doomed it from the beginning. The new government had to operate in times of a great crisis, additionaly strenghtened by harsh decisions and policies (until 1924, when Stresemann compromised with the West) of the significant countries that had won the war (USA, France, UK).

The first event that made the future of the Weimar Republic uncertain, was the creation of a new parliamentary government by general Ludendorff, who after the failure in September 1918, advice the Kaiser to give away the power to the people. He hoped that the new government would gain better peace terms, and be blamed for the failure, as it would suprisingly end the war. The shock of defeat, combined with the "stab in the back" myth, will be the domain in peoples thinking for a certain period of time. People did not understand how was it possible, they returned homes and discovered that there is nothing to eat, no place to work and no perspectives.

Money, that could be spent on improvement of situation or creation of new work places, had to be spent on reparations. The concept of Wilson's "14 points" ("peace without victory") was rejected, and Germany economic and social problems enlarged. Moreover Germany lost 13% of territory, for example very important Saar, or Alsace-Lorraine and Rhineland was demilitarised. The state and its economy were destroyed after the war, people desperate, additionaly the hyper-inflation started and this all lead to extention of a political chaos and domestic problems, resulting from race to power (first crisis was in early 1919, as the Spartacism rising took place or the "K apps patch" in march 1920). The activity of the government was harshly criticised by communists, SPD and other political organisations, moreover the myth of the "November criminals" and "stab in the back still remained".

The hostility towards the Versailles treaty was transfered to hostility towards the Weimar Republic and that is why many demogogs and political extremists gained support. Although in reality, the burden of appeasement consequences was not so destructive for the WR's economy, nor the French managed to weaken Germany permanently. The situation of WR vastly improved btw. 1923-1924. The Dawes plan (1924), of division of repayments and Young's plan (1929), connected with financial aid, helped Germany. This was a time of stabilisation, cooperation with the West and LN (joined in 1926).

New chancellor Gustav Stresemann introduced a new currency, and dissmising many civil servants was done. Despite the improvement, many people, who suffered for many years, had no job, health care and remembered the war, have not trusted the government. Future crisis, and next hyperinflation, caused by the Wall street crush in 1929, once again fired the different, extreme forms of political views and ideologies. The authority of the WR government was totally lost, and people desperately needed a fast improvement. These all facts are crucial in understanding the failure of the WR and also are important to understand the nature of Hitler's triumph in 1933. Historical background is of greater significance to understand the ordinary peoples views, hopes and expectations for their government.

Germany, had a deep and strong authoritarian roots. Even slight liberalism of Bismarck, was controlled by the will and power of Kaiser. Germans, had an inborn respect for the rulers. Subordination and following of orders remained in their nature. Regardless that some aspects of Germany were basing on democracy it still remained an authoritarian state. The point is that Germans always needed a strong leader, who will fight for the benefit of the people.

In the XIX century, the state was well-off, but the whole power in the hands of Kaiser. Reichstag, chancellors, written constitution, were only adopted from the democratic systems. Many people, even middle-class liberals supported the power, as the state was well off. After the I World War, the image of the strong, harsh, but efficient ruler was not destroyed. Moreover the Weimar Republics government caused the divisions btw. people in the country. The only method, to improve the situation, is concentrating of the nation under one certain goal, under a strong leader.

Democracy could not assure such a policy. Person that advertised himself, as a strong leader, that would effectively repair the Germany, and regain its power from before the war was Adolf Hitler. He had a charisma, was a great speaker and spoke a lot about his vision of an Aryan state. Many people liked it, as they had enough of suffering, businesses supported him as he seemed to bring stabilisation, as he remained of an old order. Hitler and nazism are the effect of the turbulence's in the WR, as it offered what the new government could not offer - changes, stability and unification. Hitler used some violent methods to maintain order, but so did the Kaiser, and the people did not factually care, untill they were satisfied.

Moreover, Germans still were remained of the "November criminals" and "stab" myth, and did not trust the government cooperating with the enemies, analogically, the support for Hitler, demanding all territories back and stop of restrictions, increased. Once again its vital to state that Hitler is the effect of WR's failure, and it does not directly refer to the prospects of survival of the democracy in the WR, but this choice of German nation shows that it demanded a strong ruler, unified strong Germany and stabilisation plus employment for all cost. Moreover, choice of Hitler indicates that the temporary government was not accepted, and that Ludendorff's plan was partially succesful. However not only historical events contributed to doom of the WR. In fact the whole construction of the state was very unstable. It had some reasons for hope and threats to its survival.

First of all it had many unchanged aspects from the Second Reich. Big businesses, power of the elites, military, bureocracy, judiciary remained the same. There was a constant threat from the right and left winged extremists, and the burden of the Versailles existed. In fact people had rights, constitution, could vote and elected the state governments and Reichstag, had a chancellor (appointed by the president, but needed confidence of the Reichstag) and president with reasonable powers. The controversial aspect was Article 48 from the constitution, which formally gave the president to undermine Reichstag. In fact the full scale democracy could have appeared in the WR, if not the hostility of the nation towards the "November criminals" and two significant crises, that were especially harmful for the people after the long war.

Moreover the authoritarian tradition, unchanged structures and the myth of the "lost victory", were not a good basis for a totaly new system and government then before. The fact that the Weimar economy btw. 1923-1929 developed very fast, and the standard of living rose, and only the crisis stopped it, may mean, that democracy might have had a chance to exist in the WR. The support for extreme parties was not above an average, and its the inflation and crisis that made Germans take their last result - Hitler.