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The Golden Years (Gustav Stresseman (Nationalist and supporter of…
The Golden Years
Gustav Stresseman
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Opposed the Weimar democracy at first but then slowly began to support it. He had always been a monarchist
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The Young Plan
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Reduce overall reparations to only 37,000 million marks
Faced major international opposition, particularly from Nationalist who launched a campaign against it
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The Dawes Plan
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Reparation payments would begin at one billion marks for the first year, and increase annually
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Social Change
Welfare State
:red_cross: Encourages people not to find work
:check: Supports the vulnerable people in society
:red_cross: some people will scam the system / take advantage
:check: helps those who are ill, disabled or on maternity leave
:red_cross: Taxpayers have to pay to fund the welfare state
Unemployment Insurance introduced in 1927, financed by a levy, half paid by employers, hald by employees. Viable unless the number of unemployed went about 800,000
Social Expenditure increased to 26% of GDP during the late 1920s. This led to a decrease in deaths from TB and Pneumonia
Young People
Failed to remove the influence of the Church in schools and they remained highly selective. Baby boom led to a large number of unemployed and many young people were captured by radical ideolgoies
Introduction of state funded primary schools and day centres to learn basic skills in preparation for jobs. There was a reduction in youth crime rate and instead many youth movements were created
Jews
Many Germans were still reluctant towards their integration into society, and anti-semitism was still a key principle of many right-wing nationalist movements. The hyperinflation caused a surge of hostility towards Jewish financiers
German jews acheived prominent positions in the media, banking and business. They held huge influence over the theatre and cinema and Jewish run newspapers flourished. 80% of Jews were educated and many were successful in law and medicine
Women
Women were given equality with men in voting rights and in access to education as well as equal opportunities in civil service appointments
The right to equal pay - women had proved themselves as reliable workers during the War when there were numerous roles which had to be filled. Demobilising laws required women to leave jobs for returning soldiers
Contraception became more widely available, allowing women more of a choice as to when to have children. However, abortion was still regarded as a criminal offence
Economic Recovery
Actions
Called off passive resistance in the Ruhr and promised to resume reparation payments. Needed to get onside with the French to prove international sympathy for their economic state
Expenditure was sharply cut and over 700,000 public employees were sacked in order to reduce the country's deficit
Introduction of a new Germany currency, the Rentenmark to stabilise it. This was overseen by financial expert Schacht
Evoke some sympathy from the allies using the miracle of the Rentenmark so they would agree to payment plans (Dawes plan)
Winners
Lower Class as living standards increased, wages rose and inflation was close to zero. Money was spent on welfare payments and health improvements
People Searching for Work chemical and transport industries were advancing, and new jobs being created
Builders in 1926 there were over 200,000 new homes to be built which created lots of jobs for builders!
Losers
Employers felt as though the system was biased in favour of unions and resented the state interfering
Iron and Steel Workers dispute over wages led to a small increase in wages, but the employers refused and locked the workers out for four years
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Farmers worldwide agriculture depression kept food prices low and few farmers were able to make a profit
The Golden Age
Negatives
Germany became much more dependant on other countries, particularly due to their loans
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Positives
Trade exports and imports rose, and agricultural prices lowered
Germany's economic growth increased, as well as the production of coal and steel
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Fulfilment
As foreign minister Stresseman sought to improve Germany’s international position, cooperate with France and Britain in order to secure a revision of some of the terms of the Treaty of Versailles. This policy became known as fulfilment.