Assess the Strengths and Weaknesses of Weimar Germany

Assess the strengths and weaknesses of Weimar Germany amid 1919 and 1932 IB History HL 28. 12. 2011 Plan Intro * historical topground of Weimar commonwealth * Thesis carryment (Draw comparisons between strengths and weaknesses, assess their impressiveness and conclude which was the most important) Body * Compare/Contrast * Attempt at re world backuped internationally vs. German hatred of agreement of Versailles * gyration started by the populate vs. Right-wing tendencies of elect and army * Strong semipolitical scienceal dissolveies already in place vs.Weaknesses of proportional representation * Strengths of responsible design of Article 48 vs. Dangers of misuse of Article 48 Conclusion * nominate short summary of all * Which was the most important? * none, all evenly important * Refer back to thesis statement ___________________________________________________________________________ Essay In late 1918, early 1919, Germany was count with the great fate to become a elective state stemming from a tyrannical monarchy chthonic the Kaiser. Said monarchy had been overthr throw by a revolution by the people and now the presidential term was approximately to turn into a democracy.This democracy, later to be known as the Weimar body politic, was faced with perils on all sides in many situations, overcoming them by virtue of its strengths and constant until 1932 when the exploitation of its weaknesses ended its reign as a democracy, turning it back into a tyranny under a single man. This essay leave assess the strengths and weaknesses of Weimar Germany, draw comparisons between them and determine which was the most important in its rise, flourish and eventual generate. The Weimar Republic was the first attempt at true, organic democracy in Germany.Throughout its history, Germany had only been led by autocratic rule, from the consecrate Roman Empire of the German Nation (the First Reich), through the dual-lane monarchy (Prussia, Austria, Bava ria as independent kingdoms), till the Bismarck Era (the Second Reich). When the whim of revolution and democracy, a government for and by the people, spread through Germany and the Kaiser abdicated in the wake of the German Revolution of 1918, other republican governments like the ground forces and the UK saw it as a great step in the dependable and wanted to stand it.France, as the third internationally prominent democracy, was not so optimistic towards the idea of a strong German state even if republican. Had the US and the UK been unrelenting in their support for the German democratic government, Weimar Germany may return lasted longer than it did. As it was, while the international support from prominent powers boosted the Weimar Republics standing internationally and brought it some support in Germany, the allies carefulness in this matter and hence their harsh treatment of Germany in the pact of Versailles in fact contributed more to the laying waste of Germany than its first success.In fact, the Weimar Republic was seen, and facilitate today is seen, as having been born from the Treaty of Versailles. This fact make the democratic system extremely unpopular in the eyes of the German people as the Treaty was seen as a diktat by the allies against Germany and the policy-making leaders of Germany that signed the Treaty, i. e. the political forefathers of Weimar Germany, were regarded as criminals by some Germans. This underlying hatred was a severe weakness of the Weimar Republic and was one of the study factors responsible for its beatfall.The German Revolution of 1918 was orchestrated, executed and accredited to the people of Germany. Its brilliance in the rise of the Weimar Republic clearly signalises that the new democratic government had the full backing of the working class which, at this measure, made up the mass of the voting public in Germany. This fundamental backing from the majority of German voters meant that a democratic sy stem could function and this initial support from the people was one of the major strengths of the Republic.A nation, however, does not exist without an selected and the elite in Weimar Germany were extremely discontent with then change in political system. The elite in Germany in 1919 were a group that had profited well under a monarchy and many of their income systems would be destroyed under a democratic government that would put the common man before them. In between the bourgeoisie, high-standing army officers saw the political leaders of Weimar Germany as criminals for signing the Treaty of Versailles which effectively destroyed German military power.This distrust and hate from the elite towards Weimar Germany was a fundamental weakness as it led to the political bewitch in later years when figures like Schleicher and von Pappen manipulated the system to their needs, leading to the ruining of Weimar Germany. Had thither not been such distrust and hate, Weimar Germany may ne ver have go, showing it as a grave weakness of the system. When the Revolution came and the Republic was declared in Germany, there were clear political parties that organise.This was a portentous strength of the Weimar Republic as there was not much time needed to form political parties with clear goals as these had already been formed in the Reichstag of the Second Reich. This decisive democratic action enabled the new government to form quickly and immediately show a face of democracy with the elections soon after. These elections, however, revealed the weakness of the newly introduced system of proportional representation as the Reichstag was over-run with representatives from countless parties that all needed a seat.This system severely slowed down all decisions in the Reichstag and so frustrated the public. This was hence a major weakness as it compromised the decision-making ability of the German government and made the public lose hope in the system. This weakness also d irectly contributed to the downfall of the Weimar Republic as the publics displeasure at the ineffectiveness of the system made them look towards a stronger leader like Hitler for order.In the Weimar Constitution, Article 48 enabled the death chair to assume dogmatic power in times of emergency to encourage the Republic. Used responsibly, this condition was an effective if morally questionable mechanism to proceed coups and keep the democratic government in power in Weimar Germany. This was through under hot seat Ebert in the early times of the Republic as the Spartacist Uprising, the Kapp Putsch and the Socialist takeover of Bavaria threatened democracys power. The article could, however, also be misused with grave consequences.As the only thing stopping the President from dictatorial rule under Article 48 was the Reichstag and the President could dissolve the Reichstag, there was really nothing stopping the President from dictatorship except his own self-restraint. Said self -restraint was apparently not present in President Hindenburg as he blatantly abused article 48 in his time eventually leading up to the fall of the Weimar Republic, showing that this article was also a great weakness of the Weimar Republic.From above, we have seen the many weaknesses and strengths of the Weimar Republic and how each played their little role in the rise, prospering and the fall of Weimar Germany. The remaining question would now be, so which was the most important? To this there can be no answer. Each of these factors contributed their own little part to the Weimar Republic and its fall. Had they not all been, the Republic may have fallen directly after its conception, or might still stand today, we cannot know.There is no telling what would have happened had one weakness been completely replaced by a strength or vice versa. The facts remain that each contributed their part to the face of modern history today. Bibliography Benz, Wolgang. A Concise History of the Thi rd Reich, translated by Thomas Dunlap. London, England University of California Press, Ltd. , 2006. John Hite, Chris Hinton. Weimar & Nazi Germany. London, UK Hachette Livre, 2000.