Social+and+economic+changes+in+Europe

Zachary Schafer History: IN what Ways did the First World War lead to economic and social changes? Specific examples should be given from one or more European countries for the period 1914 to 1930 **Social and Economic Changes in Eurpope after World War 1. **  On the eve of WWI many countries in Europe were dominating the world's market, and had enough money to start to militarize their countries. Nationalism and Imperialism also let countries stretch their muscles. Little did Europe know that due to the lack of foresight, and the abundance of countries trying to get to number one, that a great war "to end all wars" was about to commence. After WWI Germany and Austria-Hungary were the biggest losers, and the original countries were broken up into more countries. The Treaty of Versailles was "dicktaut" to the German people, and it seemed as though, by crippling Germany the world would be a better place, free of terror. However, many countries like Germany were beaten down, tattered, in poor economic health, and in need of money. All of these factors, led to both social and economic changes leading to a increased tension, and the grounds of starting another World war. BY far the country hit the hardest, both economically and physically was Germany. The sheer fact that they themselves were put to blame for the war, was no help. "Germany was forced to sign the War Guilt clause (Article 231) accepting blame for causing the war and therefore responsibility for all losses and damage"1. Along with having to pay off tremendous war debts, Germany was expected to Disarm their military to 100,000 men, and no tanks or big guns allowed. In away this took stress off the Government, and made it so they didn't have to put so much money into their army. Along with the disarmament of their military, George Clemenceau an uncompromising French nationalist, had witnessed the tragedy that Germany had inflicted on France, and wanted Germany to pay. "He was motivated by revenge and he was determined to gain financial compensation and to satisfy France's security concerns"2. Germany's losses continued, because Clemenceau wanted to take the Rhineland away from Germany, and get recompense from the damage of the war in order to finance re-building. Socially Germany was changing as well. "The German government began to print money during the war. After the war the budget deficits were greater than ever, prices rose faster, and the fact that prices were rising further widened the budget deficit: revenues were by and large based on what income had been received six months ago; spending depended on the price level now. So six months' worth of inflation was built into the budget deficit. And the faster inflation proceeded, the further revenues fell behind expenditures"3, and by January of 1923, "The country was unable to meet reparation costs, and the mark collapsed. As unemployment developed, support for this alliance grew, perceived as the only alternative to communism"4. People in Weimar Germany, were starting to feel the pressure of the rest of the world closing in upon them, and elected Gustav Stressemann to Government. With the Mark collapsed and Germany in a dire need of help, Stressmann turned to the U.S. The United States lent a hand, and The Dawes plan was created helping Germany pay off the reparations. In short term, the Dawes plan was great for Germany and helped install the new currency of the Rentenmark and a period of economic growth. In these five years of stability, Hitler, and the NSDAP popularity was growing, and business's were getting right back on track. "Between 1925 and 1929, German exports rose 40 per cent. Such economic progress brought social benefits as well. Hourly wage rates rose every year five to ten percent"5. However, socially everything was not as bright as the new economy. Hatred of Jews, and "non Germans" led to uneasy tension in Germany. "The increase of support for the NSDAP rose, and in 1928 the NSDAP won 12 seats in the Reichstag". The rise of Hitler had only just begun. Although, Germany had been destroyed by the war, and was weak, it was not the only country that had been affected by the War. Britain, although across the English channel also had changes in the economical and social aspects of life. Socially, women, wanted suffrage, because they thought that they deserved something for helping in the factories, while their husbands were off at war. "In Britain, as a result of agitation by the Women's Social and Political Union, led by Emmeline Pankhurst and her daughter Christabel (see suffragettes ), the vote was granted in 1918 to those over 30 and in 1928 to women over 21"6. Also, the German government had to deal with the "Irish problem," North Ireland becoming a free state in 1921. Like Germany, Britain faced high unemployment, and "The country suffered a general strike, due to Severe economic stress increased during the worldwide economic depression of the late 1920s and early 30s"7. Britains economic problems, like Germany's, stemed to a depression. "The basic domestic economic problem of the post–World War I years was the decline of Britain's traditional export industries, which made it more difficult for the country to pay for its imports of foods and raw materials. A Labour government, under Ramsay MacDonald, was in power for the first time briefly in 1924"8. Britain during 1931, was at a low point in its economy, and so MacDonald headed a coalition government taking Britain off its gold standard. Also he "ceased the repayment of war debts, and supplanted free trade with protective tariffs modified by preferential treatment within the empire (see Commonwealth of Nations) and with treaty nations"9. Soon the economy was better, yet the industries of coal mining, and cotton manufacturing were still hurt, Britain saw an increase in new industries emerge: electrical engineering, automobile manufacture, and industrial chemistry. Along with Britain and Germany, France had destruction as well due to most of the ground fighting being done on the border of France and Germany. Many of France's most eastern cities and buildings were destroyed10. The loss of so many men for production, and the destruction of farming land and factories increased France's dependence on imports from foreign countries. due to the lack of money, France went into a bit of a recession in the 1920's without the steady money from Germany, and finally when Germany defaulted on their payments, France invaded the Ruhr. The Ruhr's occupancy was only two years, but the lack of payments to France from Germany crippled the French economy and France expeirinced a depression in the 30's. Socially France changed just like the rest of Europe. Buildings were destroyed, homes burt to the ground, families moved, fathers, sons dead, and future generations of leaders gone in unmarked graves all across Europe. France gained back Allsace-Lorain, which led to resources, and a since of gain, after it had been taken away from Germany in 1870. Like most of Europe, Socialistic views were spread throughout France, and when the Locarno Treaty was signed, France finally thought they had a break from War for a very long time, and this appathetic attitude along with no money, and no energy to stop Hitler led to WW2. No matter which way the War would have gone, countries were still going to be brutally in debt and tattered. Germany got the worst, and suffered the most as well, the Weimar republic came and went, but the changes made led to Hitler's uprising, as well as WWII. Britain and France were weak, and had no money to pursue Hitler when they had to focus on rebuilding their countries. All three "superpowers" before the war, had major social and economic changes after the war. Germany saw that a democracy took the place of a monarchy. Yet the harship of a hyper-inflation struck them weak. Britain gave Women the right to vote, yet once again fell to the same fate of having a depression within their country. France, socially saw their whole countryside ruined due to total war. And the depression of the 30's and the lack of Germany's payment crippled their economy. WW1 was nothing short of a wrecking ball to the economies, and social life of the countries that were involved.  1 Layton, Geoff. __Weimar and the Rise of Nazi Germany.__ 3rd Edition. London. Hadder 2005 Chapter 2 p. 31. 2 Ibid. p. 29 3Delong, Bradford, J. __The Economic History of the Twentieth Century-XI. Restoring the Pre-World War I Economy-.__ Essay. 1997 [] James Bradford DeLong, is a professor of Economics and chair of the Political Economy major at the University of California, Berkeley. He served as Deputy Assistant Secretary of the United States Department of the Treasury in the Clinton Administration under Lawrence Summers. He is also a research associate of the National Bureau of Economic Research, and is a visiting scholar at the Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco 4 "Weimar Republic" A Dictionary of World History. Oxford University Press, 2000. Oxford Reference Online. Oxford University Press. Infohio - NOACSC. 10 December 2009 < [] > 5Layton, Chapter 5. pg. 72 6"women's suffrage" A Dictionary of World History. Oxford University Press, 2000. Oxford Reference Online. Oxford University Press. Infohio - NOACSC. 10 December 2009 < [] > 7The Columbia Electronic Encyclopedia® Copyright © 2007, Columbia University Press. Licensed from Columbia University Press. [] 8 Ibid 9 Ibid 10The Columbia Electronic Encyclopedia® Copyright © 2007, Columbia University Press. Licensed from Columbia University Press. []