2024 AQA AS HISTORY 7042/1L Component 1L The quest for political stability: Germany, 1871–1991 Verified Question paper and Marking Scheme Attached

2024 AQA AS HISTORY 7042/1L Component 1L The quest for political stability: Germany, 1871–1991 Verified Question paper and Marking Scheme Attached A-level HISTORY Component 1L The quest for political stability: Germany, 1871–1991 Thursday 23 May 2024 Materials For this paper you must have: • an AQA 16-page answer book. Instructions • Use black ink or black ball-point pen. Morning Time allowed: 2 hours 30 minutes • Write the information required on the front of your answer book. The Paper Reference is 7042/1L. • Answer three questions. In Section A answer Question 01. In Section B answer two questions. Information • The marks for questions are shown in brackets. • The maximum mark for this paper is 80. • You will be marked on your ability to: – use good English – organise information clearly – use specialist vocabulary where appropriate. Advice • You are advised to spend about: – 1 hour on Question 01 from Section A – 45 minutes on each of the two questions answered from Section B. 2 IB/M/Jun24/7042/1L Section A Answer Question 01. Extract A After the First World War, the free-market economy was restored, and from 1919 German industrialists gained greater influence within the state and over the trade unions. During the inflation year of 1923, and in the period of stabilisation that began in 1924, the growing influence of the major industrialists continued. The strongest section of employers, which was grouped around the coal, iron and steel industrialists, worked towards a capitalist economic system, which they could control. From 1929, the leaders of heavy industry envisaged a solution to the economic crisis involving the suppression and destruction of the trade unions. This is precisely what was offered to them by Hitler, who won over the industrialists by proposing an economic programme which focused on tax cuts and an industrial production policy. Hitler made it clear, in his discussions with industry representatives, that his assumption of office would mean no significant change in the existing free-enterprise system. Adapted from F Fischer, From Kaiserreich to Third Reich, 1986 5 10 Extract B The question of how Germany’s long-term economic future could be secured was made more acute by the loss of the First World War and by the Depression. The loss of land and colonies after 1919 intensified the feeling among Germans of being a people without space. Under such conditions, economic factors intruded ever more on the sphere of political debate and the solutions suggested were frequently anti-capitalist. Hitler was simply an extreme example of this movement and the National Socialists attempted to bring into being an alternative to the liberal capitalist order which they had seen collapse in 1929. National Socialist economic policy in general represented not merely a departure from, but a positive threat to, the capitalist system. As a result, between 1933 and 1936 there was a substantial growth of economic activity in Germany fuelled by a programme of public works and state expenditure. From 1936, the Four Year Plan continued the movement towards a long-term crisis-free economic order. Adapted from J Hiden & J Farquharson, Explaining Hitler’s Germany, 1989 5 10 3 Extract C The structural weaknesses of the German economy, which had existed from 1919, were very visible during the brief period of stabilisation after 1924. The only way that workers’ demands for higher wages and the greatly increased claims for welfare benefits and pensions could be met was by an economic miracle. This did not happen. After 1929, with the onset of the Depression, the battle to deal with the escalating cost of welfare payments seemed impossible. Therefore, in January 1933, the Hitler government was confronted by formidable economic problems. The German economy was practically bankrupt and the official unemployment rate was well over six million. However, Nazi efforts to revive the economy were remarkably successful. By the summer of 1934 unemployment had come down to 2.5 million. Conscription and rearmament caused this decline to accelerate further and by 1938 virtually full employment was achieved. By 1939, the German economy was second only to America’s and less vulnerable to global pressures than either the French or the British. Adapted from DG Williamson, Germany since 1789, 2016 5 10 0 1 Using your understanding of the historical context, assess how convincing the arguments in these three extracts are in relation to the development of the German economy in the years 1919 to 1939. [30 marks] Turn over for Section B IB/M/Jun24/7042/1L Turn over ► 4 IB/M/Jun24/7042/1L Section B Answer two questions. 0 2 ‘In the years 1878 to 1914, the chancellors of Germany responded effectively to the challenge of socialism.’ Assess the validity of this view. [25 marks] 0 3 ‘Very little was done to confront the legacy of Nazism in West Germany in the years 1945 to 1969.’ Assess the validity of this view. [25 marks] 0 4 To what extent did West German society change in the years 1969 to 1991? [25 marks] END OF QUESTIONS Copyright information For confidentiality purposes, all acknowledgements of third-party copyright material are published in a separate booklet. This booklet is published after each live examination series and is available for free download from Permission to reproduce all copyright material has been applied for. In some cases, efforts to contact copyright-holders may have been unsuccessful and AQA will be happy to rectify any omissions of acknowledgements. If you have any queries please contact the Copyright Team. Copyright © 2024 AQA and its licensors. All rights reserved. A-level HISTORY 7042/1L Component 1L The quest for political stability: Germany, 1871–1991 Mark scheme June 2024 Version: 1.0 Final MARK SCHEME – A-LEVEL HISTORY – 7042/1L – JUNE 2024 Mark schemes are prepared by the Lead Assessment Writer and considered, together with the relevant questions, by a panel of subject teachers. This mark scheme includes any amendments made at the standardisation events which all associates participate in and is the scheme which was used by them in this examination. The standardisation process ensures that the mark scheme covers the students’ responses to questions and that every associate understands and applies it in the same correct way. As preparation for standardisation each associate analyses a number of students’ scripts. Alternative answers not already covered by the mark scheme are discussed and legislated for. If, after the standardisation process, associates encounter unusual answers which have not been raised they are required to refer these to the Lead Examiner. It must be stressed that a mark scheme is a working document, in many cases further developed and expanded on the basis of students’ reactions to a particular paper. Assumptions about future mark schemes on the basis of one year’s document should be avoided; whilst the guiding principles of assessment remain constant, details will change, depending on the content of a particular examination paper. No student should be disadvantaged on the basis of their gender identity and/or how they refer to the gender identity of others in their exam responses. A consistent use of ‘they/them’ as a singular and pronouns beyond ‘she/her’ or ‘he/him’ will be credited in exam responses in line with existing mark scheme criteria. Further copies of this mark scheme are available from Copyright information AQA retains the copyright on all its publications. However, registered schools/colleges for AQA are permitted to copy material from this booklet for their own internal use, with the following important exception: AQA cannot give permission to schools/colleges to photocopy any material that is acknowledged to a third party even for internal use within the centre. Copyright © 2024 AQA and its licensors. All rights reserved. 2 MARK SCHEME – A-LEVEL HISTORY – 7042/1L – JUNE 2024 Level of response marking instructions Level of response mark schemes are broken down into levels, each of which has a descriptor. The descriptor for the level shows the average performance for the level. There are marks in each level. Before you apply the mark scheme to a student’s answer read through the answer and annotate it (as instructed) to show the qualities that are being looked for. You can then apply the mark scheme. Step 1 Determine a level Start at the lowest level of the mark scheme and use it as a ladder to see whether the answer meets the descriptor for that level. The descriptor for the level indicates the different qualities that might be seen in the student’s answer for that level. If it meets the lowest level then go to the next one and decide if it meets this level, and so on, until you have a match between the level descriptor and the answer. With practice and familiarity, you will find that for better answers you will be able to quickly skip through the lower levels of the mark scheme. When assigning a level, you should look at the overall quality of the answer and not look to pick holes in small and specific parts of the answer where the student has not performed quite as well as the rest. If the answer covers different aspects of different levels of the mark scheme you should use a best fit approach for defining the level and then use the variability of the response to help decide the mark within the level, ie if the response is predominantly Level 3 with a small amount of Level 4 material it would be placed in Level 3 but be awarded a mark near the top of the level because of the Level 4 content. Step 2 Determine a mark Once you have assigned a level you need to decide on the mark. The descriptors on how to allocate marks can help with this. The exemplar materials used during standardisation will help. There will be an answer in the standardising materials which will correspond with each level of the mark scheme. This answer will have been awarded a mark by the Lead Examiner. You can compare the student’s answer with the example to determine if it is the same standard, better or worse than the example. You can then use this to allocate a mark for the answer based on the Lead Examiner’s mark on the example. You may well need to read back through the answer as you apply the mark scheme to clarify points and assure yourself that the level and the mark are appropriate. Indicative content in the mark scheme is provided as a guide for examiners. It is not intended to be exhaustive and you must credit other valid points. Students do not have to cover all of the points mentioned in the Indicative content to reach the highest level of the mark scheme. An answer which contains nothing of relevance to the question must be awarded no marks. 3 MARK SCHEME – A-LEVEL HISTORY – 7042/1L – JUNE 2024 Section A 0 1 Using your understanding of the historical context, assess how convincing the arguments in these three extracts are in relation to the development of the German economy in the years 1919 to 1939. Target: AO3 [30 marks] Analyse and evaluate, in relation to the historical context, different ways in which aspects of the past have been interpreted. Generic Mark Scheme L5: L4: Shows a very good understanding of the interpretations put forward in all three extracts and combines this with a strong awareness of the historical context to analyse and evaluate the interpretations given in the extracts. Evaluation of the arguments will be well-supported and convincing. The response demonstrates a very good understanding of context. 25–30 Shows a good understanding of the interpretations given in all three extracts and combines this with knowledge of the historical context to analyse and evaluate the interpretations given in the extracts. The evaluation of the arguments will be mostly well-supported, and convincing, but may have minor limitations of depth and breadth. The response demonstrates a good understanding of context. 19–24 L3: L2: L1: Provides some supported comment on the interpretations given in all three extracts and comments on the strength of these arguments in relation to their historical context. There is some analysis and evaluation but there may be an imbalance in the degree and depth of comments offered on the strength of the arguments. The response demonstrates an understanding of context. 13–18 Provides some accurate comment on the interpretations given in at least two of the extracts, with reference to the historical context. The answer may contain some analysis, but there is little, if any, evaluation. Some of the comments on the strength of the arguments may contain some generalisation, inaccuracy or irrelevance. The response demonstrates some understanding of context. 7–12 Either shows an accurate understanding of the interpretation given in one extract only or addresses two/three extracts, but in a generalist way, showing limited accurate understanding of the arguments they contain, although there may be some general awareness of the historical context. Any comments on the strength of the arguments are likely to be generalist and contain some inaccuracy and/or irrelevance. The response demonstrates limited understanding of context. 1–6 Nothing worthy of credit. 0 4 MARK SCHEME – A-LEVEL HISTORY – 7042/1L – JUNE 2024 Indicative content Note: This content is not prescriptive and students are not obliged to refer to the material contained in this mark scheme. Any legitimate answer will be assessed on its merits according to the generic levels scheme. Students must assess the extent to which the interpretations are convincing by drawing on contextual knowledge to corroborate and challenge the interpretation/arguments/views. In their identification of the argument in Extract A, students may refer to the following: • the main argument of Extract A is that there was significant continuity in the nature of the German economy in this period, which was predominantly a free-market capitalist system • from 1919, German industrialists effectively worked towards gaining greater influence over an economic system which promoted their interests in relation to the state and the unions • Hitler did a deal with the leading industrialists, offering them a programme of tax cuts, production stimulus and destruction of the trade unions • there was no significant change to the free-market capitalist system under the Nazis. In their assessment of the extent to which the arguments are convincing, students may refer to the following: • German industrialists embarked on a process of cartelisation after 1919 in order to maintain prices, reduce harmful competition and rationalise production. After 1924, the Stinnes–Legien agreement began to breakdown and the industrialists adopted a more confrontational policy with the unions, eg using lockouts • Hitler was able to attract funding and support from leading industrialists, such as Thyssen and Hugenberg, after 1929 as they perceived him to have the potential to smash the unions and bring about an industrial recovery based on rearmament • from 1933, Hitler abandoned the more socialist aspects of Nazi ideology and eliminated the trade unions. By 1939, workers’ hours were longer but wages no higher. German industrialists had benefited significantly from the Nazis’ economic policies • in opposition to the extract, it could be argued that the strength of influence of German industrialists in the Weimar years is somewhat exaggerated. Weimar governments significantly expanded the welfare state, recognised trade unions and introduced compulsory industrial arbitration tribunals • in opposition to the extract, it could be argued that the Nazis moved away from free-market capitalism as their grip on power and the economy strengthened. The Four Year Plan extended political control and interference in the economy, which was often resented by German industrialists. In their identification of the argument in Extract B, students may refer to the following: • the main argument of Extract B is that the tendency in German economic policy throughout this period was moving away from a capitalist model • how Germany’s long-term economic future could be secured was made more severe by the loss of W.W.1 and impact of the Depression • suggested solutions to Germany’s economic problems in the 1920s were often anti-capitalist • Nazi economic policy was a threat to liberal capitalism • under the Nazis, there was a growth in state expenditure and a desire to control the economy to avoid future crises. 5 MARK SCHEME – A-L