Political Developments - Attitudes to the Republic from the Elites and other Social Groups

The old elite’s attitudes to the Republic

• Old elites were firmly entrenched in the army, the civil service and the judiciary

• They were hostile to parliamentary democracy and held firm to the view that the Republic was born out of betrayal of the Fatherland

Old elite’s view on Hindenburg’s election

• Helped to some extent in reconciling the elites to the existence of the Republic

• But only because the old elites believed that Hindenburg would steer Germany back towards a more authoritarian form of government

Industrial workers’ attitudes towards the Republic

• Believed that the Republic had not delivered on its promises of greater equility and social justice

• Felt that the crushing of revolts by the army and the police at the orders of democratically elected politicians, was clear evidence that parliamentary democracy was failing

Middle-class’ attitudes towards the Republic

• Middle-class support for moderate political parties was vital for the succeeding of the Weimar Republic, as elite and worker support was a a minority

• There were many among the middle class who continued to prosper and were supportive of the republic

• However, especially among the Mittelstand, lower-middle class who had suffered a significant decline in their incomes as a result of hyperinflation

• People in this group welcomed the return of economic stability under Stresemann and political stability under Hindenburg, but their resentment of the Republic itself continued to linger