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Thursday, August 26, 2010

Weimar Republic - Germany 1918-33

There has been so much talk about the Weimar Republic lately that I thought we could use a little review.

http://www.germanculture.com.ua/library/history/bl_weimar_republic.htm

What I like about this article is this quote:

The government, composed of members from the assembly, came to be called the Weimar coalition and included the SPD; the German Democratic Party (Deutsche Demokratische Partei--DDP), a descendant of the Progressive Party of the prewar period;

HA! I knew the progressives were mixed up in this somehow.

This government started out with the right idea, mix of power between the president and the parliament. Where they went wrong was giving the president the power to dismiss the cabinet, dissolve the Reichstag, and veto legislation.

This government was not totally accepted by the populace at large and very severe political battles and unlikely alliances plagued it's entire existence. The extreme right worked with the Communist party (KPD) towards its destruction. The VersaillesTreaty laid the groundwork for it's demise. It never stood a chance.

All this infighting resulted in nothing getting accomplished to help stabilize what was in effect a new nation. Violence was rampant and many do not know but it was at this time Youth paramilitary groups came into existence. There were as many as five different political parties with no one gaining enough support to take control. Multiple coup d'état usually ending in defeat, some for as simple a reason as a general strike!!!

The republic was falling more and more behind on it's reparations payments as stipulated in the treaty. There were incursions by French and Belgian troops trying to collect their payments. The government response? They halted all industrial activity! A nation already burdened with high unemployment and now industry at a standstill.

There were indeed wheelbarrows of cash needed for purchases of food items. What jobs there were, paid employees twice a day in cash, so the workers could run make their purchases before the prices went even farther up.

Chancellor Stresemann formed a new coalition and somehow managed to gain cooperation between the different factions, although limited. The economy began a short lived recovery. Short only because of the depression and the Wall Street crash. Loans were re-called which Germany could not pay. The easing unemployment once again skyrocketed.

Were it not for the Great Depression, Hitler may not have found an opportunity (or a crisis to take advantage of) to come to power.

5 comments:

off the reservation said...

A few thoughts:

Could the US be the new Germany?

Could the President become the new Chancellor?

Could China be the new France?

Over the past 30 years I have witnessed the executive take on more and more powers while the legislative has given up theirs. Much of what the executive does today is unconstitutional but who has the power to meet this massive bureaucracy head on?

Britain is getting on their growth. US is slowing down. We have a central bank that can turn on the presses.

So, print more money, distribute marijuana and cocaine to everyone. Party on Wayne.

off the reservation said...

Going through Bernanke's remarks:

- large-scale purchase of more securities (govt debt or mortgage securities)

- provide clearer guidance on the extension of the low rates

- cutting the fed rate even more

I hear the printing presses whirring away.

So, where are the free drugs???

off the reservation said...

oh, and that employment picture, how is that working for you?

Heard on the news that somebody is claiming the unemployment numbers are due to people in the Census being laid off. Otherwise, businesses really are really hiring, just being masked.

Ummm, yep. right.....

butt bigsquash neckid said...

OTR...to answer your COULDs...yep and the new N word is muslim...

to coin a phrase WE'S FAAK'D...





code: WISEST I....dat me?????

off the reservation said...

Butt, grabbing my arsenal and heading to the Hickok compound. Steve Lee (I like guns) is hanging there:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HSm5HGr4pNo

Probably time to start grouping and getting ready...

That beauty behind Steve leaning against the railing is an AK-74 (not an AK-47). I like his target range.

Word Verification: eprod (do they know something?)