Germany – The Right Wingers (origins, rebellions)

Right-wing politics considers that some social orders are preordained, normal, or desirable, on the basis of natural law, economics or tradition. It is held that hierarchy and social inequality are results of traditional social differences.

Left-wing politics supports social equality and fairness, often in opposition to social hierarchy.It involves a concern for the underprivileged in the society and a belief that unjustified variationsneed to be reduced or eliminated.

To put it simply, Left is about change; Right is about preservation. The roots of the terms can be traced to the National Assembly in France, where the nobles sat to the right and the commons to the left.

Right wing politics:

  • The term right-wing can refer to “the conservative or reactionary section of a political party or system.”
  • Right wing beliefs value tradition, endurance of the fittest, and they believe in economic freedom.
  • They typically believe that business shouldn’t be regulated, and that we should all look after ourselves.
  • Right wing people hold that they shouldn’t have to pay for someone else’s education or health service. They believe in freedom to succeed over equality.

Weimar republic in Germany

Under the rule of Kaiser Wilhelm II (before 1919), Germany had been virtually a dictatorship. After World War 1, Kaiser fled to Holland and Germany sank into defeat.

In Feb 1919, after a brief period of political confusion, the members of the Reichstag or Parliament met in the small town of Weimar, near Berlin, to set up a new government.   It did not have a king – which is why it was known as ‘Weimar Republic’.

Right wingers

  • Right-wing politicians did not like the Weimar government. Their main issue was that the German Army had not actually surrendered but the German government had.
  • Under the terms of Treaty of Versailles, Germany was to pay compensation (132 billion Marks) for the war.
  • Right wing politicians held that the government had “stabbed Germany in the back”.

Rebellion

  • At Kapp Putsch in Berlin there was one right-wing rebellion during 1920.
  • Right-wing groups killed politicians and set up rebel groups which threatened their neighbourhoods.
  • Resentment caused by the Treaty of Versailles seeded psychological ground for the eventual rise of the Nazi Party.

Violation of the Treaty of Versailles

  • Only a small percentage of the war compensation was paid. Even thatplaced a significant burden on the weak German economy.
  • When Germany could not pay the remaining compensation, it was considered a violation of the VersaillesTreaty.
  • Between 1921 and 1923, French and Belgian troops occupied Rhineland and rest of the Ruhr area and started to take the money in the form of coal and industrial goods.
  • This was met with “passive resistance”, which meant that workers refused to obey any orders by the occupation forces.

Withdrawal of strike

  • Chancellor Gustav Stresemann sorted out Germany’s economic problems by arranging $200 million loan from the Americans which got German industry moving.
  • Under him Germany started paying the compensations as per the Versailles Treaty.
  • He also convincedthe French to leave the Ruhr and ensured that Germany joined the League of Nations in 1926.

 

References:

https://www.quora.com/What-is-the-difference-between-the-left-wing-and-the-right-wing-What-is-the-difference-on-a-basic-level-on-a-hardcore-politician-level/answer/Balaji-Viswanathan-2

https://en.oxforddictionaries.com/definition/right_wing

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Right-wing_politics

http://idontgetpolitics.co.uk/right-left-wing

https://quizlet.com/12692385/left-and-right-wing-terminology-flash-cards/

https://www.englishforums.com/English/WhatDoesLeftWingRightWingMean/vzqzl/post.htm

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Politics_of_Germany

https://www.facinghistory.org/weimar-republic-fragility-democracy/weimar-republic-outline-dates

http://www.johndclare.net/Basics_Germany.htm

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