Lucy Galstyan
Detailed Essay Plans
History AQA Final Exam Grade received: A*
Democracy & Nazism
Section 1: The establishment and early years of the Weimar Republic
‘The Weimar Republic was not democratic nor did it provide the basis for stable
government’
Introduction: Following the abdication of the Kaiser in 1918, a new democratic
government emerged in Germany led by President Ebert. His first priority was to establish
a new constitution fit for this new democracy. Despite there being clear elements of
democracy within this constitution, there were also significant weaknesses which meant
that a basis for stable government was not provided and some of these flaws even
contributed to the later collapse of the Weimar Republic. Proportional representation,
article 48 and the survival of undemocratic institutions are the most significant
weaknesses. Thus, because the Weimar constitution was not fully democratic, even
though it aimed to be, a strong basis was not provided for stable government.
Democratic? Basis for stable government?
- universal suffrage and a Reichstag was -system of proportional representation.
elected every 4 years using a system of smaller parties could gain representation in
proportional representation. universal the Reichstag. The problem with this was
suffrage= Germany had a wider right to vote that it enabled these parties - many of which
than other democratic countries such as were anti-republican - to exploit the
Great Britain and France. By allowing parliamentary system to gain publicity=
women to vote on the same terms as men, unstable, can’t effectively fulfil its function to
this indicates the democratic nature of the pass laws and policies because of the
constitution as it valued the opinion of all interference by anti-democratic parties =
Germans and gave them a chance to vote was being undermined by fringe parties who
on important decisions in their country. sought to overthrow the Weimar Republic.
Such decisions included electing the
Reichstag every 4 years as well as electing -proliferation of smaller parties prevented
a President every 7 years. Moreover, the larger parties from gaining overall majority
Chancellor had to have the support of at in the Reichstag= governments were
least half of the Reichstag. constantly short-lived coalitions= feelings of
instability and so many Germans became
- proportional representation was disillusioned with this system and were
designed to ensure that all shades of drawn towards the extremes and voted for
political opinion were represented in the them= dangerous situation for the Weimar
Reichstag= even smaller parties were given Republic as opposed to a basis for stable
the chance to win seats in the Reichstag government as there was constant conflict
and influence government decisions as in coalitions leading to their collapse and
opposed to an autocracy where one person their opponents could attempt to overthrow
would have absolute power. COUNTER= them.
However, when assessing if the constitution Example= This is precisely what happened
provided a basis for stable government or as the Nazis were able to become the
not, the example of proportional single largest party in the Reichstag by July
representation clearly proves that they did 1932 with 37.3% of the vote and eventually
not. democracy collapsed.
Weimar Constitution aimed to be
- survival of undemocratic institutions democratic but because Article 48 was
, not democratic, did not provide a basis for misused, a basis for stable government
stable government because democracy was was not provided. Article 48 gave the
undermined. This can be seen in article 54 president the power to rule by decree in
of the consitution. As a result of this article, emergency situations. Although this was not
the judiciary had been granted an unusual feature for democratic systems,
independence. Significantly, these men it was not anticipated that it would be
were staunchly anti-democratic and so misused. This is suggestive of the
biased legal judgements would be undemocratic nature of the Weimar
inevitable. Constitution because there were no limits to
Example= This is exactly what occurred this presidential power, the President could
during 1919-1923 when the right-wing were dissolve the Reichstag whenever he
virtually unpunished for their crimes yet pleased.
many left-wing conspirators sentenced to Example= President Ebert, who ironically
death. This completely undermined the wanted democracy to work, used these
constitution as it was based on the premise powers on 136 occassions, some of which
of equality for all. were merely times where he wanted to
override the Reichstag = whilst the Weimar
-the army remained largely undemocratic Republic was democratic in theory, this
and consisted of men in favour of autocratic differed in practice as the President was
rule. Far from being politically neutral, the able to enforce his power in a way that
army were also biased and chose to help diminished democratic principles.
crush down communist uprisings yet in
response to the Kapp Putsch, led by the Article 48 in Germany was rather radical
right-wing, army commander in chief Hans when compared to other, long-established
von Seeckt declared that 'troops do not fire democracies. For example, the checks and
on troops'. This highlights how the army balances of the system were not so easily
were not completely loyal to the Republic. compromised in the US. The use of Article
This lack of loyalty from such a powerful 48 in Germany was more closely linked with
institution meant government was more an authoritarian style of rule - evident in
vulnerable to attack. Hindenburgs later use of the decree.
Hence, the survival of undemocratic
institutions weakened the government and
undermined democracy.
Conclusion: To conclude, it would be an oversimplification to state that the Weimar
constitution was democratic and that it provided a basis for stable government. This is
largely because of Article 48 and 54 of the constitution as well as proportional
representation which meant that undemocratic institutions survived, democracy was
undermined, and government unstable. Nevertheless, it would also be unfair to state that
the constitution was not democratic at all and that it didn't attempt to provide a foundation
for stable government. This is because elements of democracy such as universal suffrage
and, although unstable, the fair system of proportional representation aimed to fulfil
equality for all. In the end, the deep rooted divisions of society were heightened to such a
large extent that the Weimar democracy collapsed. This in itself insinuates that a strong
foundation was not established. Hence, the Weimar Constitution failed to be fully
democratic and established a weak basis for stable government.
‘The main reason the Kaiser was forced to abdicate was because he had lost the
support of soldiers and sailors’
Detailed Essay Plans
History AQA Final Exam Grade received: A*
Democracy & Nazism
Section 1: The establishment and early years of the Weimar Republic
‘The Weimar Republic was not democratic nor did it provide the basis for stable
government’
Introduction: Following the abdication of the Kaiser in 1918, a new democratic
government emerged in Germany led by President Ebert. His first priority was to establish
a new constitution fit for this new democracy. Despite there being clear elements of
democracy within this constitution, there were also significant weaknesses which meant
that a basis for stable government was not provided and some of these flaws even
contributed to the later collapse of the Weimar Republic. Proportional representation,
article 48 and the survival of undemocratic institutions are the most significant
weaknesses. Thus, because the Weimar constitution was not fully democratic, even
though it aimed to be, a strong basis was not provided for stable government.
Democratic? Basis for stable government?
- universal suffrage and a Reichstag was -system of proportional representation.
elected every 4 years using a system of smaller parties could gain representation in
proportional representation. universal the Reichstag. The problem with this was
suffrage= Germany had a wider right to vote that it enabled these parties - many of which
than other democratic countries such as were anti-republican - to exploit the
Great Britain and France. By allowing parliamentary system to gain publicity=
women to vote on the same terms as men, unstable, can’t effectively fulfil its function to
this indicates the democratic nature of the pass laws and policies because of the
constitution as it valued the opinion of all interference by anti-democratic parties =
Germans and gave them a chance to vote was being undermined by fringe parties who
on important decisions in their country. sought to overthrow the Weimar Republic.
Such decisions included electing the
Reichstag every 4 years as well as electing -proliferation of smaller parties prevented
a President every 7 years. Moreover, the larger parties from gaining overall majority
Chancellor had to have the support of at in the Reichstag= governments were
least half of the Reichstag. constantly short-lived coalitions= feelings of
instability and so many Germans became
- proportional representation was disillusioned with this system and were
designed to ensure that all shades of drawn towards the extremes and voted for
political opinion were represented in the them= dangerous situation for the Weimar
Reichstag= even smaller parties were given Republic as opposed to a basis for stable
the chance to win seats in the Reichstag government as there was constant conflict
and influence government decisions as in coalitions leading to their collapse and
opposed to an autocracy where one person their opponents could attempt to overthrow
would have absolute power. COUNTER= them.
However, when assessing if the constitution Example= This is precisely what happened
provided a basis for stable government or as the Nazis were able to become the
not, the example of proportional single largest party in the Reichstag by July
representation clearly proves that they did 1932 with 37.3% of the vote and eventually
not. democracy collapsed.
Weimar Constitution aimed to be
- survival of undemocratic institutions democratic but because Article 48 was
, not democratic, did not provide a basis for misused, a basis for stable government
stable government because democracy was was not provided. Article 48 gave the
undermined. This can be seen in article 54 president the power to rule by decree in
of the consitution. As a result of this article, emergency situations. Although this was not
the judiciary had been granted an unusual feature for democratic systems,
independence. Significantly, these men it was not anticipated that it would be
were staunchly anti-democratic and so misused. This is suggestive of the
biased legal judgements would be undemocratic nature of the Weimar
inevitable. Constitution because there were no limits to
Example= This is exactly what occurred this presidential power, the President could
during 1919-1923 when the right-wing were dissolve the Reichstag whenever he
virtually unpunished for their crimes yet pleased.
many left-wing conspirators sentenced to Example= President Ebert, who ironically
death. This completely undermined the wanted democracy to work, used these
constitution as it was based on the premise powers on 136 occassions, some of which
of equality for all. were merely times where he wanted to
override the Reichstag = whilst the Weimar
-the army remained largely undemocratic Republic was democratic in theory, this
and consisted of men in favour of autocratic differed in practice as the President was
rule. Far from being politically neutral, the able to enforce his power in a way that
army were also biased and chose to help diminished democratic principles.
crush down communist uprisings yet in
response to the Kapp Putsch, led by the Article 48 in Germany was rather radical
right-wing, army commander in chief Hans when compared to other, long-established
von Seeckt declared that 'troops do not fire democracies. For example, the checks and
on troops'. This highlights how the army balances of the system were not so easily
were not completely loyal to the Republic. compromised in the US. The use of Article
This lack of loyalty from such a powerful 48 in Germany was more closely linked with
institution meant government was more an authoritarian style of rule - evident in
vulnerable to attack. Hindenburgs later use of the decree.
Hence, the survival of undemocratic
institutions weakened the government and
undermined democracy.
Conclusion: To conclude, it would be an oversimplification to state that the Weimar
constitution was democratic and that it provided a basis for stable government. This is
largely because of Article 48 and 54 of the constitution as well as proportional
representation which meant that undemocratic institutions survived, democracy was
undermined, and government unstable. Nevertheless, it would also be unfair to state that
the constitution was not democratic at all and that it didn't attempt to provide a foundation
for stable government. This is because elements of democracy such as universal suffrage
and, although unstable, the fair system of proportional representation aimed to fulfil
equality for all. In the end, the deep rooted divisions of society were heightened to such a
large extent that the Weimar democracy collapsed. This in itself insinuates that a strong
foundation was not established. Hence, the Weimar Constitution failed to be fully
democratic and established a weak basis for stable government.
‘The main reason the Kaiser was forced to abdicate was because he had lost the
support of soldiers and sailors’
