The Western Democracies Stumble

British Political Issues

Irish fighting for independence, Labour Party surpassing Liberal Party

French Political Issues

coalition government being heavily divided--too many factions

Red Scare

America fears communists/radicals infiltrating country

Marginot Line

massive fortifications built by France on border with Germany

Treaties of Locarno

series of treaties that settled Germany'd border disputes with france, Czechoslovakia, Poland, and Belgium; symbol for new era of peace

Kellogg-Briand Pact

sponsored by U.S.; signed by almost every independent nation, promising to "renounce war as an instrument of national policy"

general strike

strike by workers in many different industries at the same time

finance

management of money matters, including circulation of money, loans, investment, and banking

Federal Reserve

central banking system of U.S.; caused Great Depression b/c raised interest rates 2x to slow run on stock market > backfired

Black Tuesday

October 29, 1929; date of the worst stock-market crash in American history and beginning of the Great Depression.

Britain's Economy

Great Depression era; set up coalition government that provided some unemployment benefits, but failed to make decisive action to improve economy

France's Economy

Great Depression era; leftist parties united behind Leon Blum, Popular Front tried to solve labor problems but couldn't satisfy radicals, strikes broke out, democracy survived but lacked strong leadership

Hoover

believed government shouldn't intervene in private business matters

FDR

government had to take active role in fighting Great Depression; introduced New Deal

New Deal

regulated stock market, protected bank deposits, social security system for pensions, government programs to create jobs and give aid to farmers