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Threats to the Republic from the left 1919-1923 Communist Revolts (USPD…
Threats to the Republic from the left 1919-1923 Communist Revolts
USPD (The German Independent Social Democratic Party Radical Socialists)
Their aim was to create a socialist republic governed by workers' and soldiers' councils in conjunctions with parliament.
Strategy
To introduce radical social and economic changes
Policies
To reform the army fundamentally
To nationalise key industries (the transfer of private ownership to state ownership)
To introduce welfare benefits
Leaders
Karl Hautsky
Hugo Haase
Spartacists
Their aim was to create a soviet republic based on the rule of the workers' and soliders' councils
Strategy
To oppose the creation of a National Assembly and to take power by strikes, demonstrations and revolts leading to fundamental social and economic changes
Policies
To replace the army by local militias of workers
To carry out extensive nationalisation of industries and land
To introduce welfare benefits
Leaders
Rosa Luxemburg
Karl Liebknecht
The Spartacist revolt
In January 1919 The Spartacists decided to overthrow the provisional governement
However there was little chance of success
There was 3 days of savage street fighting
Liebknecht and Luxemburg were brutally murdered whilst in police custody
They were mainly just workers with rifles
The Defence Minister, Gustav Noske, had the backing of the army's troops but also the support of 120 irregular military-style groups, Friekorps, with about 400,000 soldiers to suppress the Spartacist.
SPD (German Social Democratic Party)
Their aim was to establish a socialist republic by the creation of parliamentary democracy
Strategy
To introduce moderate changes and to prevent the spread of communism
To make arrangements for a democratic Reichstag election leading to a National assembly
Policies
To maintain law and order by running the country with the existing legal and police system
To maintain the traditional German Army
To introduce welfare benefits
Leaders
Friedrich Ebert
Phillip Scheidemann