The Western Democracies

1. The Western Democracies

3. Postwar Problems • War shook people’s confidence in Enlightenment belief that problems would be solved through the use of reason and technology • Not all nationalist groups were satisfied • Europe saw Bolshevism as a threat • Germany opposed Versailles terms • Europe lacked strong leaders when they needed them most

4. In Pursuit of Peace • Locarno Agreements 1925 solved border disputes • Kellogg-Briand Pact 1928 renounced war as an instrument of nat’l policy yet there was no way to enforce this • Nations agreed to discuss “disarmament” but couldn’t decide how much • Great faith was put into LON but that too was powerless to stop aggression

5. Kellogg-Briand Pact 1928

6. Disturbances to Peace • Japan invaded Manchuria in 1931 • Italy invaded Ethiopia in 1935 • Germany reoccupies the Rhineland 1936 • The LON did nothing to stop it – had no way to stop it. • LON was seen as weak without US participation

8. Economic Collapse • US emerged as strongest econ power • American bank loans kept European economies afloat • Dawes Plan • Overproduction was key problem due to strong demand during war & improved technology • However demand fell after the war & imbalance emerged • Led to closing of factories and lost of jobs

9. The 1929 Crash • Stocks rose thru-out the 1920s • Many bought stocks on margin • When brokers called in their loans & couldn’t pay this led to panic sellling & eventually the Black Tuesday crash. • This triggered the Great Depression although this was not the only cause of it • US banks also bought stocks so many of the banks that used to loan Europe % also collapsed.

10. Global Impact of Depression • US banks could no longer loan Europe @ • Jobless could not consume products • Factories therefore laid off workers • Unemployed lost homes & stood in bread lines and ate in soup kitchens • US passed highest tariff in its history (Smoot-Hawley tariff) • This kept European goods outside of US • Europe retaliated and kept US goods out

13. Impact of Tariff Wars • All countries were hurt by these tariff wars • All lost access to international markets • As trade declined, unemployment worldwide increased • Many lost hope in democratic government & capitalist system • This was fertile ground for radical ideologies such as Communism • Rightwing extremists would appeal to nat’lm & virtues of authoritarian rule

14. Britain in Postwar Era • Brit emerged from the war deeply in debt with much of its overseas trade lost • Factories were out of date • Unemployment rose • Wages remained low which led to strikes • The 1926 General Strike involved 3 million workers & lasted 9 days • Labor party won elections & was moving toward socialism

16. General Strike 1926 Paralyzed the British Economy

18. British Middle Class • Supported conservatives who feared Communists • After the general strike laws were passed to limiting the workers’ right to strike • Great Depression exacerbated Brit’s problems • Gov formed coalition gov with leaders from all 3 major parties • Gov provided some direct relief to people

19. Irish Flag

20. Irish Independence • Irish demanded independence or Home Rule • When Brits failed to grant home rule in 1919 civil war erupted in Ireland. • Members of the Irish Republican Army carried out a guerilla war • In 1922 most of Ireland became independent (Eire) • Northern Ireland that was predominantly Protestant remained British

21. Commonwealth of Nations • 1931 all former colonies became self-governing dominions within the Commonwealth of Nations. • They maintain economic & cultural ties.

22. Britain, France & Scandivania • Faced enormous economic challenges after the War. • Strikes • Unemployment • Political unrest • These govs all weathered the crises and democracy was preserved. Not so in Germany & Italy which will become fascist.

23. Maginot Line • This was France’s postwar defense policy. • Created false sense of security. • Nazis will simply bypass it during WWII which will humiliate the Fremch

29. Boom & Bust in the US • Overproduction/underconsumption • Stocks on margin • Black Tuesday, Great Crash

31. Hoovervilles USA

32. The New Deal • FDR pursued deficit spending to accomplish his 3 “Rs” Relief, recovery and reform. • New laws regulated the Stock Market and banking • New programs put millions back to work • Social security provided pensions to elderly • Did not end the Depression but eased the suffering.

33. Elements of Fascism • Militant political movement • Demanded political obedience to the state • Extreme form of nationalism. • Authoritarian, one-party states • Expansionist • No defined theory or ideology like the Communists had • Fascists wore uniforms, used special salutes & held mass rallies • Censorship

34. Fascism continued • Indoctrination • Secret police • Racist • Economic functions controlled by the state but usually with cooperation industrialists

35. How Fascism & Communism are similar • Ruled by dictators, one-party rule • Denied individual rights • State was supreme • No democracy or basic civil rights

36. How Fascism & Communism are different • Fascists did not seek “classless” society • Fascists believed each class had its place & function • Fascists were made up of aristocrats & industrialists, war veterans & lower middle classes. • Fascists were nationalists where Communists were internationalists seeking hoping to launch world revolution among workers.