The Failures of the Weimar Republic, 1919-1929.

... The Failures of the Weimar Republic, 1919-1929 The Weimar Republic, proclaimed on November 9, 1918, was born because of military defeat and social revolution. In January 1919, a National Assembly was elected to draft a constitution. The government, composed of members from the assembly, came to be called the Weimar coalition. In mid-1919 the assembly ratified the constitution of the new Weimar Republic, so named because its constitution was drafted. Election to the Reichstag was by secret voting and popular vote. Germany had a truly democratic parliamentary system. However, the president had the right to dismiss the cabinet, dissolve the Reichstag, and veto legislation. The legislative powers of the Reichstag were further weakened by the so-called emergency clause, accorded the president the right to allow the cabinet to govern without the consent of parliament whenever it was deemed essential to maintaining public order. The Weimar Republic was overwhelmed with serious problems

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