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Postwar Democracy

Postwar Democracy. Postwar Germany. With the abdication of Kaiser Wilhelm II on Nov. 9 th , 1918, Germany became a republic under the leadership of the Social Democrats. This came as a shock to most, since they believed Germany was winning the war.

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Postwar Democracy

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  1. Postwar Democracy

  2. Postwar Germany • With the abdication of Kaiser Wilhelm II on Nov. 9th, 1918, Germany became a republic under the leadership of the Social Democrats. • This came as a shock to most, since they believed Germany was winning the war. • The republic faced its first challenge with the Spartacist Revolt in Jan. 1919.

  3. Weimar Republic • German voters chose democracy as the National Assembly met in Weimar to draft a constitution. • It created a two house parliament (elected by proportional representation) and a president. • Despite this, many conservative nationalists remained in positions of power and resented the republic.

  4. Economic Problems • The reparations debt of 132 billion marks ($33 billion) crippled Germany. • Default allowed the French to occupy the industrial Ruhr Valley in 1923. • The industrial workers there refused to work for the French. • To support them, Germany printed money, causing rapid inflation.

  5. Economic Recovery • Gustav Stresemann, replaced the old mark with a new one, stabilizing the currency. • Passive resistance was ended in the Ruhr and the reparations issue was addressed. • The Dawes Plan had Germany pay variably depending on economic strength • In 1925, the Ruhr occupation ended. • The infusion of foreign loans and investment led to recovery in the late 1920s.

  6. France • Northern France is devistated by the war. • 1919 elections have the center-right National Bloc take power led by Aristide Briand. • National Bloc took a hard line against Germany. • National Bloc government occupied the Ruhr when Germany defaulted in 1922.

  7. France • In May 1924, coalition of Socialists and Radicals won elections as the Left Cartel • Edouard Herriot became premier. • The government was ineffective in dealing with economic problems and there was considerable infighting in the coalition. • The government had 6 different cabinets in less than two years.

  8. Britain • Wartime trend toward greater social equality continued, helping maintain social harmony. • Representation of the Peoples Act (1928): women over 21 gained the right to vote. (Representation of Peoples Act of 1918 had given women over 30 the right to vote). • Unemployment was Britain's biggest problem in 1920s: about 12% • Did not recover from economic losses suffered during WWI

  9. Britain • 1926, General Strike: support of miners who feared a dramatic drop in their low wages swept the country. • Gov’t outlawed such labor actions in 1927 • Gov’t provided unemployment benefits of equal size to the unemployed and supplemented those payments with subsidized housing (200,000 units), medical aid, and increased old-age pensions. • Liberals and Conservative governments lost power to a new Labour government in 1926.

  10. The Irish Question • After Easter Rebellion (1916) the extremist Sinn Fein faction gained prominence in Ireland. • Prompted a civil war between the Irish Republican Army (IRA) and the Black and Tan, England’s special occupation forces there. • October 1921, London created the Irish Free State, from which Ulster withdrew, as part of the British Commonwealth (Northern Ireland) • In 1922, Britain granted southern, Catholic Ireland full autonomy after failing to suppress a bitter guerrilla war.

  11. Disarmament • The Washington Conference 1921-1922 • Produced the Five Power Treaty • Limited tonnage on battleships. • Locarno Pact of 1925 • France and Germany agreed on borders • Germany accepted permanent demilitarization of the Rhineland. • Britain and Italy acted as guarantors. • Germany given seat in League of Nations.

  12. Disarmament • Kellogg-Briand Pact of 1928 • 60 countries signed agreement renouncing war. • London Conference of 1930 • U.S., Britain and Japan limit construction of cruisers, destroyers and subs. France and Italy do not participate. • Geneva Conference of 1932 • Meant to limit land araments, conference broke down in 1933.

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