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Conditions Ripe for Dictators Italy Economic Distress a. inflation b. heavy taxes to pay for the war c. widespread unemployment d. deindustrialization e. infrastructure (trains, roads and other means of transportation) were not functioning f. world wide depression caused business failures, falling wages and rising unemployment. Fear of Communism a. worker seized factories b. peasants seized lands 1. these actions appeared similar to what had happened in Russia prior to the revolution. Appeal to Nationalism a. territory from Austria (called Italia Irredenta) b. Italians expected colonies in Africa Middle East and Balkans which would give them access to the Adriatic Sea c. They boasted of the new Roman Empire Weak Government a. no one political party commanded a majority in Parliament. b. The series of coalition governments were weak and could not solve 1. maintain law and order 2. economic problems Lack of Democratic Tradition a. people were illiterate and poverty- stricken 1. education needed to develop civic skills and individualism b. little or no training in civic responsibilities c. did little to defend their democracy Germany Economic Distress a. instead of raising taxes, the government printed excessive quantities of paper money b. the mark declined to almost nothing c. inflation harmed the middle class which saw its savings accounts, life insurance policies, and pensions become worthless d. world wide depression caused business failures, falling wages and rising unemployment.( 1932 over 6 million Germans were out of work) Weaknesses of the Weimar Government a. several political parties b. the leading parties differed on economic issues c. extremist Nazis on right and Communists on left Fear of Communism a. 1930 communists polled five million votes, 15% of those cast Appeal to Nationalism a. were unable to accept emotional defeat b. Nazis 1. pledged to tear up the Treaty 2. demanded return of territory 3. defended right to rearm 4. claimed that Germans armies had been "stabbed in the back," mainly by Jews and Communists, not defeated by the Allies. c. Hitler proclaimed Germany destined to rule the world because they constituted pure Aryan race and were superior mentally and physically to all other people Anti-Semitism a. even during Bismarck's time Jew were physically attacked b. Jews were accepted as scapegoats c. If Jews were responsible then the German people were not d. unprincipled persons looked forward to looting and seizing Jewish businesses and homes Lack of Democratic Tradition a. autocracy historically b. had achieved unification, economic growth, and world power under autocrats c. Weimar Republic accepted the hated Treaty of Versailles and many people could not accept the authority of the newly created government How could a dictator come to power? Economic Distress Fear of Communism Appeal to Nationalism Weak Government Lack of Democratic Tradition Anti-Semitism (mostly Germany)
