Nazi Germany
Essay Plans
, “The Weimar constitution was not democratic nor did it provide the basis for stable government”. Assess the validity of thi
Introduction – Outline essay, define key terms, answer the question.
True to some extent as it was democratic but did not provide the basis for stable government. The Weimar constitution was esta
in 1919 after the defeat of Germany in WW1. The new Weimar Constitution meant that Germany was a republic for the first tim
as democratic. Stable means that the Weimar Constitution introduced a system of government that was led by elected represen
and arguing that it was democratic would be suggesting that people in Germany held the power which they did to a large extent
Point 1 - the Weimar Constitution introduced an elected system of Counter-point - article 48 limited the extent to which the
government and established democracy. The Reichstag was elected every 4 constitution was democratic. This gave the president em
years and the president every 7 years. Both men and women over the age powers. Ebert used article 48 on 136 occasions and some
of 20 could vote which was more democratic than countries such as Britain were non-emergency situations. This was similar to an au
and France at the time in which only men over 20 and women over 30
way of ruling as it took the power away from the people.
could vote. There was a shift from Germany’s autocratic past. Women could
safeguards meant that the president could threaten to di
become deputies and in 1919, 41 women were elected in the Reichstag. A
bill of rights also guaranteed personal liberty and equality before the law
the Reichstag and call an election if people didn’t accept
and established parliamentary democracy in Germany for the first time as presidential decree. Overuse of article 48 undermined th
people held most of the power. . authority of the Reichstag.
Point 2 - The Ebert-Groner did not democratise the army. This pact meant Counter-point - the survival of the Weimar republic was s
that Groner promised that he would help Ebert in case of uprisings if he threatened by political extremism and Ebert recognised t
didn’t democratise the army. During the second Reich, the army was free importance of the pact. The Spartacist Uprising was stopp
from political control and senior officers wanted to preserve that
the pact. The Spartacist Uprising of 5 January 1919 posed
independence. The Pact assured that the army would defend the
significant danger as it risked Germany becoming a comm
government as long as it wasn’t democratised. Ebert did not democratise
every part of the Weimar Constitution. Undemocratic institutions such as
state. Freikorps were able to crush the Uprising because
the army, judiciary and civil service remained. Army officers were also wasn’t democratised. The Spartacist Uprising was a comm
recruited from aristocracy who were more autocratic than democratic and Uprising led by Rosa Luxemburg and Karl Leibnecht. This
significant institutions were elected by unelected aristocrats. The Ebert- significant as it prevented a repeat of the Bolshevik revol
Groner pact was also signed by Ebert due to the fear of a communist ensured the continuance of democracy. Although not eve
revolution such as the Bolshevik revolution in Russia in 1917. This meant was democratised due to the insatiable climate, this was
that the army could intervene in politics and Ebert placed the desire of a feasible.
stable government above the desire for a thoroughly democratic
government.
Point 3 - the Weimar constitution and Republic were based on a Counter-point - Proportional representation was a highly
system of proportional representation which was designed to democratic feature of the constitution and ensured that
represent all political opinions in the Reichstag as seats were of interests were represented in the Reichstag. The coun
allocated depending on the percentage of votes that the party divided into 35 electoral districts each with 1 million vote
received. The proliferation of small parties meant that small anti- parties could also gain seats in the Reichstag, representin
republican parties exploited the parliamentary system to gain of opinions and it was based on who people voted for an
publicity which led to the coalition of governments during the it was also democratic.
Weimar Republic as no large party could gain a majority in the
Reichstag. Many coalitions were short-lived which caused political
instability as there were 23 coalitions over 15 years. Moreover, the
fragmented party system existed due to deep divisions in German
society and the lack of national consensus.
Conclusion – Answer the question and substantiate (explain) your judgement using arguments from the essay to support your
evaluation.Statement is true to some extent as although the system of government did not provide the basis for political stabilit
Weimar Constitution was still highly democratic.
Essay Plans
, “The Weimar constitution was not democratic nor did it provide the basis for stable government”. Assess the validity of thi
Introduction – Outline essay, define key terms, answer the question.
True to some extent as it was democratic but did not provide the basis for stable government. The Weimar constitution was esta
in 1919 after the defeat of Germany in WW1. The new Weimar Constitution meant that Germany was a republic for the first tim
as democratic. Stable means that the Weimar Constitution introduced a system of government that was led by elected represen
and arguing that it was democratic would be suggesting that people in Germany held the power which they did to a large extent
Point 1 - the Weimar Constitution introduced an elected system of Counter-point - article 48 limited the extent to which the
government and established democracy. The Reichstag was elected every 4 constitution was democratic. This gave the president em
years and the president every 7 years. Both men and women over the age powers. Ebert used article 48 on 136 occasions and some
of 20 could vote which was more democratic than countries such as Britain were non-emergency situations. This was similar to an au
and France at the time in which only men over 20 and women over 30
way of ruling as it took the power away from the people.
could vote. There was a shift from Germany’s autocratic past. Women could
safeguards meant that the president could threaten to di
become deputies and in 1919, 41 women were elected in the Reichstag. A
bill of rights also guaranteed personal liberty and equality before the law
the Reichstag and call an election if people didn’t accept
and established parliamentary democracy in Germany for the first time as presidential decree. Overuse of article 48 undermined th
people held most of the power. . authority of the Reichstag.
Point 2 - The Ebert-Groner did not democratise the army. This pact meant Counter-point - the survival of the Weimar republic was s
that Groner promised that he would help Ebert in case of uprisings if he threatened by political extremism and Ebert recognised t
didn’t democratise the army. During the second Reich, the army was free importance of the pact. The Spartacist Uprising was stopp
from political control and senior officers wanted to preserve that
the pact. The Spartacist Uprising of 5 January 1919 posed
independence. The Pact assured that the army would defend the
significant danger as it risked Germany becoming a comm
government as long as it wasn’t democratised. Ebert did not democratise
every part of the Weimar Constitution. Undemocratic institutions such as
state. Freikorps were able to crush the Uprising because
the army, judiciary and civil service remained. Army officers were also wasn’t democratised. The Spartacist Uprising was a comm
recruited from aristocracy who were more autocratic than democratic and Uprising led by Rosa Luxemburg and Karl Leibnecht. This
significant institutions were elected by unelected aristocrats. The Ebert- significant as it prevented a repeat of the Bolshevik revol
Groner pact was also signed by Ebert due to the fear of a communist ensured the continuance of democracy. Although not eve
revolution such as the Bolshevik revolution in Russia in 1917. This meant was democratised due to the insatiable climate, this was
that the army could intervene in politics and Ebert placed the desire of a feasible.
stable government above the desire for a thoroughly democratic
government.
Point 3 - the Weimar constitution and Republic were based on a Counter-point - Proportional representation was a highly
system of proportional representation which was designed to democratic feature of the constitution and ensured that
represent all political opinions in the Reichstag as seats were of interests were represented in the Reichstag. The coun
allocated depending on the percentage of votes that the party divided into 35 electoral districts each with 1 million vote
received. The proliferation of small parties meant that small anti- parties could also gain seats in the Reichstag, representin
republican parties exploited the parliamentary system to gain of opinions and it was based on who people voted for an
publicity which led to the coalition of governments during the it was also democratic.
Weimar Republic as no large party could gain a majority in the
Reichstag. Many coalitions were short-lived which caused political
instability as there were 23 coalitions over 15 years. Moreover, the
fragmented party system existed due to deep divisions in German
society and the lack of national consensus.
Conclusion – Answer the question and substantiate (explain) your judgement using arguments from the essay to support your
evaluation.Statement is true to some extent as although the system of government did not provide the basis for political stabilit
Weimar Constitution was still highly democratic.
