Strengths+and+Weaknesses+of+the+Weimar+Republic

**__ IB History Research Project  __** ** Prompt: Assess the strength and weakness of Weimar Germany between 1919-1932. **  President Friedrich Ebert invited a liberal lawyer ,Hugo Preuss, to draw up a new constitution and the draft was reviewed at a meeting by the National Assembly at Weimar. “The proposals for the new constitution were influenced by the long-established democratic ideas of Britain and the USA.”[1] Also, the German economy was in a tough spot and needed a strong government to overcome the woes of their current government. The republic’s first president Friedrich Ebert, signed the new German constitution into law on August 11, 1919. The first article of the constitution stated that “The power of the state emanates from the people.”[2]There was a lot expected from the Weimar republic when it was instated. The Weimar Republic comprised all the essential elements of a perfect democracy and had good leadership from Stresseman, but was shadowed by weaknesses it possessed, proportional representation and Article 48. The Weimar Constitution had all the ingredients to produce a democracy perfect for a vulnerable Germany to get back in shape. It had a bill of rights giving every German citizen freedom of speech and religion, equality under the law, and all men and women over the age of 20 were given the vote. There was an elected president and an elected Reichstag (parliament). The Reichstag made the laws and appointed the government, which had to do what the Reichstag wanted. [   3] Most proposals for the new constitution were influenced by the long-established democratic ideas of Britain and the USA. [4]   The new Weimar Republic was composed of ideas of past democratic success units that caused a buzz around Germany of the Weimar Republic. The Treaty of Versailles had left the German government devastated, as the republic could not pay the costs of the debts. The government was unable to pay the 6.6 billion pound fee  [5]    and foreign opposition was determined to make Germany pay. The Weimar constitution was then hit by a hyperinflation due to the extra money being printed. It caused many problems for Germany such as war debts, welfare costs, reparations and other serious problems. Gustav Stresseman then became the Chancellor of Germany and was part of a small group of bright spots in the Weimar Republic’s tenure. Stressemann's first move as foreign minister was to issue a new currency, the [|Rentenmark] , to halt the extreme [|hyperinflation] crippling German society and the economy. It was successful because Stresseman refused to issue more currency, the cause of the inflation in the first place. And Stresseman was really the man who started the “Years of Stability 1923-1929”  [6]    in the Weimar’s tenure. Above all strengths of the Weimar republic were the weaknesses, and one of those weaknesses it possessed was proportional representation. Proportional representation is instead of voting for a single leader or candidate, you vote for a party. Each party elected was then allocated seats in the Reichstag exactly reflecting (proportional to) the number of people who had voted for it. [7]   In Weimar Germany it was impossible to gain majority rule so some small parties joined coalitions with sometimes three or even four parties. And one of these parties made was the Nazi Party led by Adolf Hitler. Another weakness the Weimar Republic possessed was Article 48. This said, in an emergency, the president did not need the agreement of the Reichstag, but could issue decrees. [8]   And some leaders during the Weimar Republic’s existence, such as Adolf Hitler abused that “privilege” or law. The problem with this was that it did not say what an emergency was, and in the end, it turned out to be a back door that Hitler used to take power legally. The decree invoked [|Article 48] of the [|Weimar Constitution] and "indefinitely suspended" a number of constitutional protections of civil liberties, allowing the Nazi government to take swift action against political meetings, arresting and killing the Communists. [9] Following World War One, the Weimar republic emerged from the German Revolution in November 1918. It had such expectations of a great democracy that could put Germany back on track. But was overshadowed by weaknesses it had such as proportional representation and Article 48. Those two weaknesses caused frequent problems throughout its “14 crisis-ridden years,”  [10]    and eventually caused the Weimar to collapse in the Nazi’s rise to power.
 * __ Drew Dakin  __**

[1] Layton, Geoff. Weimar and the Rise of Nazi Germany. 3rd Edition. Landon. Hadder, 2005. Ch.2. [2] Ibid. [3] "Germany." Encyclopædia Britannica. Encyclopædia Britannica Online School Edition. Encyclopædia Britannica, 2009. Web. 9 Dec. 2009. Britannica Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc., headquartered in Chicago, Illinois, is a leading provider of learning and knowledge products. [4]Layton, Geoff. Ch.5. [5] Worldwide, BBC. "GCSE Bitesize: Weimar Germany". BBC Worldwide. December 9, 2009. BBC Worldwide is the largest broadcasting corporation in the world. It is a public service broadcaster, based in Germany and Britain. [6] Worldwide, BBC. "GCSE Bitesize: Weimar Germany". BBC Worldwide. December 9, 2009http://www.bbc.co.uk/schools/gcsebitesize/history/mwh/germany/weimarproblemsrev1.shtml [7] Ibid. [8] Layton, Geoff. Ch.5 [9] “Weimar." Encyclopædia Britannica. Encyclopædia Britannica Online School Edition. Encyclopædia Britannica, 2009. Web. 9 Dec. 2009  [10] Layton, Geoff. Ch.5.  **__ Works Cited __**  "Germany." Encyclopædia Britannica. Encyclopædia Britannica Online School Edition. Encyclopædia Britannica, 2009. Web. 9 Dec. 2009. Britannica Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc., headquartered in Chicago, Illinois, is a leading provider of learning and knowledge products. Layton, Geoff. Weimar and the Rise of Nazi Germany. 3rd Edition. Landon. Hadder, 2005. Ch.2. Worldwide, BBC. "GCSE Bitesize: Weimar Germany". BBC Worldwide. December 9, 2009<http://www.bbc.co.uk/schools/gcsebitesize/history/mwh/germany/weimarstrengthweakrev2.shtml>. BBC Worldwide is the largest broadcasting corporation in the world. It is a public service broadcaster, based in Germany and Britain. Worldwide, BBC. "GCSE Bitesize: Weimar Germany". BBC Worldwide. December 9, 2009http://www.bbc.co.uk/schools/gcsebitesize/history/mwh/germany/weimarproblemsrev1.shtml “Weimar." Encyclopædia Britannica. Encyclopædia Britannica Online School Edition. Encyclopædia Britannica, 2009. Web. 9 Dec. 2009