Problems of the Weimar Republic

Political problems of Weimar Republic
1. Proportional representation PR
  1. All votes were counted up centrally to divide seats fairly between parties
    1. Made it difficult to get a majority
2. Article 48
  1. President had the right to dismiss parliment and rule by himself if the country was in a 'state of emergency'
  2. President increased his powers to pass laws
  3. In 1930, 3x as many laws passed by the president than there were passed by Reichstag
3. weak coalitions of parties who had different beliefs
4. Difficult to pass laws
5. Revolts and rebellions
  1. Communists
    1. Believed that Ebert and socialists had failed to complete the revolution
      1. Didn't abolish private property
  2. Freikorp
    1. Private armies
      1. Felt that socialists had stabbed Germany in the back
        Because of the Treaty of Versailles
6. Those who had signed the treaty were called the November Criminals
  1. The jews were especially blamed
Economic problems of Weimar Republic
1. Bankruptcy
  1. All reserves of gold were used in WW1
  2. Reparations of $6.6 billion
    1. Asked to reduce reparations however other countries could not afford it
  3. Areas deprived
  4. 1923 - could pay so Ruhr was invaded
2. Invasion of the Ruhr
  1. Raw materials taken
  2. Workers striked and wanted strike pay
  3. Debts increased
  4. Shortage of goods
3. Inflation
  1. Prices went up
  2. Less money from tax because of unemployment
  3. Printed more money
  4. HYPERINFLATION
    1. Suffered from shortages
    2. Savings became worthless - middle class were affected
    3. Stresseman created new currency - Retenmark
      1. Led to stability in 1923

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Problems of the Weimar Republic

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	Created by Maisie Marsh almost 7 years ago