Political Developments - The Development of Political Parties

How the pro-democracy parties failed to achieve a stable democratic system

• Deputies in the Reichstag did not represent a particular constituency

• Proportional representation meant deputies were chosen from party lists to represent a large area - no connection between a deputy and their constituents

• Deputies were not allowed to display any individuality

• Factional rivalries also weakened many parties

• Party leaders when becoming ministers in coalition cabinets would prioritise protecting the interests of their own party / group rather than prioritising wider national interest

• Brought dispute into the parliamentary system and support for democratic institutions suffered as a result

The SPD

• During 1924-1928 remained the largest single party in the Reichstag

• Had a leading role in the establishment of the Weimar Republic - had the aim of seeing a successful democratic government

• However SPD only participated in one of six coalition governments - couldn’t let go of its original Marxist trademark

• This made the party unwilling / inflexible to make the compromises needed for participation in coalition governments

• SPD had close links with trade unions and appealed mainly to industrial workers - had limited appeal to young people and to women - and no support among farmers, agricultural workers or the Mittelstand

The Centre Party

• Was originally established to defend the interests of the Roman Catholic Church in the German Empire - still remained its priority in the Weimar Republic

• Due to being based on religious affiliation - appeal crossed classes and occupations

• Centre Party was supported by industrial workers + industrialists, farmers + their landlords, together with professional groups like teachers

• Broad appeal made party more flexible than the SPD, but tended to cause divisions over social and economic desicions

• No coalition government was formed without the Centre Party - vital to success of Weimar democracy

• However grew to the right when the new leader, Bruning, was less committed to parliamentary democracy than Marx

The DDP

• Liberal DDP was in decline by the mid-1920s

• Appeal was mainly to academics and professional groups

• Composed of worthy intellectuals that had limited political experience

• Party had internal disputes - had great difficulty clearly displaying what it stood for

• Nevertheless a party committed to the success of parliamentary democracy and participated in all coalition governments

The DVP

• Conservative party

• DVP was highly committed to parliamentary democracy and participated in all the coalition cabinets of this period

• Main support came from industrialists - some from academics

• After Stresemann’s death in 1929 the party drifted to the right + became a pressure group promoting interests of big businesses

The DNVP

• Conservative, nationalist party

• DNVP broadened appeal in the 1920s beyond its original base of landowners

• By mid 1920s had attracted support from multiple industrial and professional groups

• Was anti-democratic and nationalist, main aim of restoring the monarchy and dismantling Versailles Treaty

• Due to being Anti-Weimar, the party refused to join coalitions

• However growing number of youth members caused the party to join the Luther 1926 cabinet and 1927 cabinet

• However suffered a massive loss of support in the 1928 Reichstag election - caused party to return to being anti-democratic

• Shift to the right confirmed by Hugenberg becoming their new leader in 1928 - led the party in 1929 into an aliliance with the Nazis in a campaign against the young plan

The NSDAP

• Nazi Party entered a period of decline after the failed 1923 Munich Putsch

• Hitler was released from prison early - however unable to rebuild his party due to the party and SA being banned, and was not allowed to speak in public until 1927

• At the end of 1927 the party only had 75,000 members and 7 deputies in the Reichstag

• Nazis lost 100,000 votes in 1928 Reichstag election, but gained some share of votes in north due to them concentrating their efforts in rural areas of the country

• By 1929 had a grown membership of 150,000 and took control of its own town council in October of the year, meaning the party was showing signs of revival

The KPD

• German Communist Party was the largest communist party outside Russia

• However never became a mass party

• Had support in industrial areas and in Berlin

• Dedicated to overthrow of the Weimar Republic

• Tactics of KPD were dictated by the Communist Party of the Soviet Union

• Communist uprisings in Saxony and Hamburg were ruthlessly suppressed by the army

• After 1924 the KPD was ordered to shift their tactics to attacking the SPD as a party which was betraying the working class