AUTHORITARIAN LEADERS
HITLER
1. Emergence of the leaders:
- Impact of the war and weaknesses of the political system
● Treaty of Versaille: Under the terms, Germany lost land and had to pay reparations for the winners and their industrial
areas were under French control (to make sure they pay back the money) => Hitler’s idea of Weimar’s fault in signing the
treaty inspired Germans who was already frustrated. This led to violent uprisings and many people turned their support to
him as they felt that Hitler had the ability to gain the land back and bring victory to Germany
● Structure of the Weimar: Proportional representation: It resulted in the formation of coalition governments often
comprising many parties. This meant that there were often differing ideas about how Germany should be governed.
When parties disagreed it often meant that the government collapsed, and they needed to have fresh elections.
Evaluate the historiography: The Deterministic Theory: weakness of Weimar Republic was the base for the dictator's rise
to power
Strength: People want to continue the authoritarianism like before and the survival of militaristic attitudes, especially
among the conservative elites
Limits: It does not take into consideration the problems that Germany had to face from the legacy of WWI
=> Economic factors and use of propaganda were the decided factors
- Social division and economic factors
● Violence and revolution from left wing and right wing
● The Great Depression => unemployment increased to more than five million in 1933
- Use of force:
● During the 1920s: Nazi violence became a common feature
● Historiography - Bruce Pauley: his biggest accomplishment in his rise to power after being released from jail was 'his
ability to restrain his over-anxious supporters’
=> Strength: Hitler understood that he could not become leader by overthrowing government - Beer Hall Putsch 1923
=> Limits: Biggest accomplishment was his ability to control the SA and their force
● Hitler used force or the threat of it to intimidate Reichstag delegates who were considering not supporting him and the
Nazis in passing the Enabling Act, 1933. Many of the communist delegates had been arrested or were in the process of
being hunted down, and as a result were not in the chamber.
HITLER
1. Emergence of the leaders:
- Impact of the war and weaknesses of the political system
● Treaty of Versaille: Under the terms, Germany lost land and had to pay reparations for the winners and their industrial
areas were under French control (to make sure they pay back the money) => Hitler’s idea of Weimar’s fault in signing the
treaty inspired Germans who was already frustrated. This led to violent uprisings and many people turned their support to
him as they felt that Hitler had the ability to gain the land back and bring victory to Germany
● Structure of the Weimar: Proportional representation: It resulted in the formation of coalition governments often
comprising many parties. This meant that there were often differing ideas about how Germany should be governed.
When parties disagreed it often meant that the government collapsed, and they needed to have fresh elections.
Evaluate the historiography: The Deterministic Theory: weakness of Weimar Republic was the base for the dictator's rise
to power
Strength: People want to continue the authoritarianism like before and the survival of militaristic attitudes, especially
among the conservative elites
Limits: It does not take into consideration the problems that Germany had to face from the legacy of WWI
=> Economic factors and use of propaganda were the decided factors
- Social division and economic factors
● Violence and revolution from left wing and right wing
● The Great Depression => unemployment increased to more than five million in 1933
- Use of force:
● During the 1920s: Nazi violence became a common feature
● Historiography - Bruce Pauley: his biggest accomplishment in his rise to power after being released from jail was 'his
ability to restrain his over-anxious supporters’
=> Strength: Hitler understood that he could not become leader by overthrowing government - Beer Hall Putsch 1923
=> Limits: Biggest accomplishment was his ability to control the SA and their force
● Hitler used force or the threat of it to intimidate Reichstag delegates who were considering not supporting him and the
Nazis in passing the Enabling Act, 1933. Many of the communist delegates had been arrested or were in the process of
being hunted down, and as a result were not in the chamber.
