Crisis of Democracy in the West

1. Crisis of Democracy in the West The Western Democracies A Culture in Conflict Fascism in Italy and Germany

2. The Western Democracies • Postwar Issues • 3 Democracies appeared powerful after WWI • Great Britain, France and the United States • The Treaty of Versailles was hoped to encourage others • Underlying Problems • Post war Europe face HUGE problems • Jobs, Returning Vets and Rebuilding were big issues • Many nations owed huge debts and had no money • Social unrest and radical ideas were common • Germany and other ethnics groups made at outcome of WWI • Europe lacked strong leaders • An entire generation had been lost

3. The Western Democracies • Postwar Issues (cont) • The Pursuit of Peace • Diplomats worked hard to settle issues from WWI • By mid-1920’s, borders were set • Kellogg-Briand Pact: most nations signed repudiating WAR as an instrument of foreign policy • Great powers disarmed (didn’t agree on size) • Obstacles to Peace • No way to enforce Kellogg-Briand • League of Nations was powerless • American refused to join League of Nations • Ambitious Dictators pushed the limits

4. The Western Democracies • Recovery and Depression • Most European nations returned to peacetime economic production • The US emerged as THE economic power • A Dangerous Imbalance • OVERPRODUCTION: Higher output without markets to sell to caused problems • Demand fell, prices fell • Consumers benefitted, but producers suffered • Workers won higher wages, which raised the price of goods • Factories kept producing , despite lower demand for good • Crash and Collapse • Margin Buying: Brokers called in loans when market began to turn bad • Investors sold stock when unable to repay margin • The STOCK MARKET CRASH (1929) caused a global collapse • US banks stopped loaning money and called in loans to foreign governments • Banks failed, millions thrown out of work (DOWNWARD SPIRAL) • Global Impact • Global economies tied together, all collapsed • As Depression lasted, people lost faith in democratic governments to solve the problems devastating most nations • Extremists jump on the suffering and offer another way

5. The Western Democracies • Britain in the Postwar Era • Struggle between those supporting socialism and those pushing against communism • The Great Depression intensified economic problems • Some help from the government provided, millions suffered • Revolt in Ireland for home rule – not granted until 1922 • IRA fought against “North Ireland” still under British control • 4 commonwealths granted independence but remain part of Great Britain (Canada, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa) • France Pursues Security • Both a winner and a loser after WWI • Relied on “reparation payments” from Germany to rebuild • Political instability and the Great Depression brought a struggle for power (lack of strong leadership) • Mistrust of Germans caused French to build up defenses along the border between the two countries “The Maginot Line”

6. The Western Democracies • Prosperity and Depression in the US • US stayed out of the League of Nations and isolated itself • “RED SCARE” – growing fear of communism caused gov’t in US to act against those who favored it. • Anti-immigration acts severely limited immigration • 1920’s were either BOOM or BUST • MIDDLE CLASS will emerge during BOOM years • The STOCK MARKET CRASH caused the Great Depression • US Economy goes into tail spin • Millions out of work, homeless, hungry • Gov’t did little to intervene • FDRoosevelt’s “NEW DEAL” • The Gov’t took an active role in relieving the problems of the Great Depression • Jobs, Businesses, Banks got help • Stock Market, businesses were regulated • Social Security passed • Actions DID NOT end Great Depression but helped many survive it

7. QUICK REVIEW • Explain what each of the following were: • Kellogg Briand Pact • Maginot Line • New Deal • Define the following: • Disarmament • Overproduction • Margin Buying • General Strike • Answer the questions: • What steps did the major powers take to protect the peace? • How did the 2 highlighted words above contribute to the Great Depression? • How did the Great Depression affect political developments in the US?

8. Fascism in Italy • Rise of Mussolini • A Leader Emerges • Post WWI problems allowed a new leader to emerge • Mussolini promised a stronger Italy, the people believed • Seizing Power • “Black Shirts” – enforcers who eliminated opposition • Used intimidation and fear to quiet other groups • By marching on Rome, Mussolini intimidated King into appointing him Prime Minister • Mussolini became the leader without firing a shot • Mussolini’s Italy (“Il Duce”) • Dictatorship upheld by terror • Critics thrown in jail, forced into exile or executed • Secret police and propaganda propped up the regime

9. Fascism in Italy • Economic Policy • Economy brought under state control • Production did increase but at the cost of the workers • Mussolini’s Italy (cont) • Social Policy • The individual was unimportant • Men were urged to be “ruthless warriors for Italy” • Women were sent home and encouraged to “win the battle of motherhood.” Were given medal for 14 or more children • Youth groups taught them to obey strict discipline

10. WHAT IS FASCISM?? AN AUTHORITARIAN GOVERNMENT (many forms) *glorify action, violence, discipline and blind loyalty to the state *believed democracy led to corruption and weakness * Militarism, Suppression of Opposition, Ultranationalism, & Aggressive Foreign Policy are markers of FASCISM • Compared to Communism • Sworn enemies of socialists and communists • Instead of good of all people, press for power of the state • Supported by business, wealthy, not workers • Totalitarian Rule • Single party rule * State control of the economy • Use of police spies/terror * Strict censorship of media • Use of schools to indoctrinate • Unquestioning obedience to a single leader • Appeal • Order restored to country (political and economic) • Pride and power of nationalism

11. QUICK REVIEW • Who was “Il Duce”? The Black Shirts? • What major problems did Italy face after WWI? • How did these problems help Mussolini gain power? • Describe the goals (economic & social) of Mussolini and the steps he took to achieve each goal. • What is FASCISM? What values does it promote? • How is Fascism similar to and different from communism?

12. Hitler and the Nazi’s • The Weimer Republic • Struggles of the Republic • Post WWI government a republic with elected officials • Germany faced many problems, mostly financial • Radicals (socialist, communist, fascist) were active • With no strong leaders, there was plenty of blame to share • Many Germans blamed Jews for their problems • Inflation • Post war inflation made German economy weak • German government printed money to try to fix problem • Money becomes worthless, salaries did not keep pace • Recovery and Collapse • With help from west, government did slow inflation • Reparation payments reduced to try to help German econ. • Germany turns to charismatic leader, Hitler, to bring Germany back

13. Hitler and the Nazi’s • Adolf Hitler (born in Austria) • Early Rise • Fought in German army, was angry how war ended • Joined a small political group and became its leader • Used “stormtroopers” to battle in the streets with enemies • Mein Kampf • Imprisoned after an attempted overthrow of the government • Wrote “Mein Kampf” which outlined his plan for Germany • “Master Race” “Blaming the Jews” • Urged Germans to unite and bring Germany back to power • Germany needed living space, Aryans should rule • The Road to Power • Hitler released from prison, NAZI’s began gaining power • The Great Depression enabled NAZI’s to be elected/power • Hitler appoints Chancellor, within a year he controlled Germany

14. Hitler and the Nazi’s • The Third Reich • Hitler will reject the Treaty of Versailles and pressed for a “Third Reich” or third empire • TOTALITARIAN STATE: To achieve his goal, Hitler needed total control (gov’t, religion, economy, education) • Few worried about the power the government was using, they were just happy Germany was becoming power again • The Gestapo (SS) rooted out any and all opposition • ECONOMIC POLICY: To grow, people put to work • Public works used to rebuild the MILITARY • Few objected when government took over most of economy because their standard of living was improving • SOCIAL POLICY: • Indoctrinated youth (Hitler Youth) • Women “rewarded” for having Aryan children • Jewish people targeted

15. Purging German Culture • The Arts • Modern music and art denounced • Only works that glorified Germany allowed (Wagner) • Nazism and the Churches • Replaced religion with his racial creed • Catholic Schools and Churches closed • Some clergy spoke up, and were punished • Campaign Against the Jews • Hitler was a fanatical antisemite • Nuremberg Laws placed severe restrictions on Jews • Nazis beat and robbed Jews openly • KRISTALLNACHT: Night of the Broken Glass • World reaction strongly against German action but Hitler didn’t budge • In the years that followed, Concentration Camps were used to exterminate over 6 million Jews “FINAL SOLUTION”

16. Steps taken towards the “Final Solution” • “Protective Custody” Rules • The Enabling Act (1933) • Nazi Boycott of Jewish Stores (1933) • Closed certain professions from Jewish workers • Banning Jewish children from German schools • “Retirement” of non-Aryan workers • Banned Jewish workers from government • Nazi work camps • Gestapo/SS • Night of a Thousand Knives (1934) • Expelled Jewish teachers from Universities and Schools • Book Burnings • Use of Media – Antisemetic • Nuremburg Laws (1935) • Jewish names – must add jewish middle name to ID cards • Kristallnacht (1939)

17. “The Nazis came first for the Communists. But I wasn’t a Communist, so I didn’t speak up. Then they came for the Jews, but I wasn’t a Jew so I didn’t speak up. . . Then they came for the Catholics, but I was a Protestant so I didn’t speak up. Then they came for me. By that time, there was no one left to speak up.” Martin Niemoller, Time Mag.

18. Culture in Conflict • New Views of the Universe • Radioactivity – began tinkering with atomic matter • Relativity – Einstein questioned space/time (questioned everything) • Probing the Mind –Freud’s subconscious mind drives behavior • Modern Art & Architecture • Abstract – Picasso • Surrealism – Dali • Architecture – blended science & technology (glass & steel) • A Changing Society • Jazz – blend of western harmonies with African rhythms • Rebellion – 20’s flapper, women looked outside home • Social Classes – WWI had changed the class system

19. Need to Knows • Section One • Efforts to maintain peace • Things that contributed to the Great Depression • Section Two • Changes in Culture • Section Three • Mussolini • Goals, Actions taken to meet goals • Fascism • Section Four • Hitler • Weimar Republic • Rise to Power • 3rd Reich • Purging German Culture • Campaign against the Jews

20. Ch 17 Essays • Compare and Contrast fascism with communism. • Explain the economic conditions in Europe that made it possible for leaders like Mussolini and Hitler and their fascist governments to rise to power. • Hitler and Mussolini both used ruthless campaigns against their opposition. Why do you think dictators need to find a scapegoat for their nation’s problems? • EXTRA CREDIT: • Cover Book +5 • Answer the following: • Name 3 specific examples of methods used by the Nazi’s to deprive Jewish Germans’ rights. Why did the Jewish people and German people accept these?