Democracy

1. Democracy By:FranziTrilse AlexGilles

2. Americaand Democracy Franklin D. Roosevelt & Woodrow Wilson

3. Woodrow Wilson and Democracy • President 1913 - 1921 • Woodrow saw the war as a battle between ideologies • He believed that the victory of WWI had made the world safe in order for democracy to emerge • The treaties assumed that democratic regimes were established within the new nations • However some did not find favour with democracy • New ideologies were then developed such as Communism and Fascism

4. Wilsonand Democracy Continued • For many other countries democracy did not seem worthwhile, because other democratic states had economic and social problems • While fascists and communist states seemed to have more conviction and energy • Fascist leaders appeared to be more decisive and successful than the democratic politicians • People were left to question democracy

5. Woodrow Wilson • http://www.biography.com/video.do?name=politicalfigures&bcpid=1740037438&bclid=1774292798&bctid=1738706925

6. Franklin D. Roosevelt & Democracy • President 193 – 1945 • Roosevelt had the difficult task of governing the United States at the depth of the Great Depression • He brought hope back to America • “The only thing we have to fear is fear itself” • Suffers from poliomyelitis at age of 39 • During his first “100 days” there are 13,000,000 unemployed • He wants a sweeping program to recover business and agriculture • By 1935 there is some recovery

7. Franklin D. Roosevelt Continued • Businessmen and bankers begin to turn against Roosevelt’s “New Deal” –program • They feared his experiments, were shocked because he had taken America off the gold standard, etc. • He was re-elected president in 1936 • Roosevelt developed a new program:  Social Security  heavier taxes on the wealthy  new controls over banks and public utilities  work relief program for the unemployed • He is re-elected president in 1936

8. Franklin D. Roosevelt • http://www.biography.com/video.do?name=politicalfigures&bcpid=1740037438&bclid=1768641472&bctid=173013480

9. Great Britain in the 1920’s

10. Great Britain in the 1920’s • The most serious issue in Britain was unemployment, 10% of England’s labour force are unemployed • Goods produced in Britain were not in demand as much as they were before the war • Britain was slow I replacing machinery • The British government still wanted free trade, even if the other countries had protectionists policies • In 1925 coal mine owners have to announce longer hours and lower wages for the workers

11. Britain and 1920’s Continued • In 1926 there is a general strike, were 1/6 of England’s workers participated, this lasted all of 9 days  the participants of the strike were so numerous in numbers that some feared a revolution  some violence occurred, but no attempt to over throw the government  the government insisted on an unconditional surrender

12. Britain and 1920’s Continued • In 1927 the government chose to retaliate with the Trade Disputes and Trade Union Act  this prohibited sympathy strikes & and limited the political activities of unions

13. France in the 1920’s

14. France in the 1920’s • France had recovered rapidly from WWI • The major problem was repaying the war debts and supporting the rebuilding process • The occupation of the Ruhr fails and weakens the French franc • An inflation grows at an alarming rate  by mid 1926 the franc had fallen from 20 cents to 2 cents

15. France in 1920’s Continued • The Chamber of Deputies gave permission to Premier Raymond Poincare, resorting to the Napoleonic Traditions  this meant that Poincare could take stern measures in areas such as tariffs and taxes  because of this he was able to stabilize the currency and restore prosperity

16. The 1930’s Britain & France

17. The 1930’s • In the 1930’s the depression came and caused economic misery, which created a political crisis  In Germany this helped the Nazis to come into power  Russia which had a controlled economy seemed unaffected  many concluded that this was the end of democracy

18. Britain and the 1930’s • By 1931 Britain had a lot of problems with its economy • The leader of the labour party Ramsay MacDonald forms a national government with Stanley Baldwin as second in command who was part of the conservative party • Labour opposed the new government and expelled MacDonald and his party • The government cut unemployment benefits, raised taxes, and in mounts of British currency took Britain off of the gold standard

19. Britain & 1930’s Continued • After 1935 the national government charted a middle course and won a lot of public support from the people • There was never any danger that political extremists would take over the British government

20. France in 1930’s • In 1934 the growing strength of rightists in Europe was one of the reasons that brought the French left together • In the meantime the policy of forbidding communists to join other parties in popular fronts to oppose fascism was reversed by the Comintern • In January 1936 left parties put forth a common program  political demands: dissolution of semimilitary formations; application and observance of trade union rights for all

21. France in 1930’s Continued • In May 1936 popular front won the election with the new Premier Leon Blum • Blum is hated by businesses because of his socialism and by the Fascist leagues because he was Jewish • He was a moderate when new ideologies such as Fascism and Communism came out • He reorganized the bank of France • He also helped the French agricultural • He devalued the Franc

22. France in 1930’s Continued • Even though the government was trying to improve different conditions, the economy continued to decline • After the fall of Blum’s government, the French population is divided:  workers turn to communism  the right demands a strongly nationalist and authorized regime • Slogan: “Better Hitler than Blum.” • This slogan shows how fragile French Democracy was

23. Democracy in 1939

24. Democracy in 1939 • In comparison with authoritarian regimes, democratic states seemed to be doing badly • Except for America under Roosevelt no democratic state was able to get a reform program • None of the major democratic states had recovered by 1939 • The smaller democratic states manage to get intact systems

25. Democracy in 1939 Continued Belgium, Holland, Switzerland • Belgium, Holland and Switzerland were usually governed by Conservatives in this period • In Holland and Switzerland the Central government was more powerful preserving traditional democratic system • Neither of the above countries had serious political problems

26. Democracy in 1939 Continued Denmark, Norway, Sweden • Democratic Socialism came through • They were still careful to preserve civil and political rights • Most comprehensive social insurance plans in the world

27. Democracy in 1939 Continued Democracy and the public • Democratic governments are answerable to the public and subject to public opinion • With freedom of the press, misery of Depression in the United States, England, France, Weimar Germany became a matter of public record • In Fascist and Communist regimes opinion, press, etc was under state control

28. Democracy in 1939 Continued Italy • Didn’t do better than a lot of the other states during the depression • Mussolini replaced accomplishment with rethoric • Many believed him Germany • Pulled out of the depression with a policy of massive public expenditure  end of freedom

29. Democracy in 1939 Continued • Soviet Union • Stalin managed to collectivize and industrialize at a terrible human cost

30. Bibliography • The West and the world by Arthur Haberman, Adrian Shubert • www.biography.com • www.whitehouse.gov