Post-WWI Europe: Rise of Dictatorships and Democratic Struggles
Post-WWI Europe: A Continent in Turmoil
Following the peace treaties that concluded World War I, new European states emerged, and democracy became the dominant political system among independent nations. However, this period also saw the rise of anti-democratic movements.
The Rise of Extremism
Leagues of veterans, particularly in Germany, France, and Italy, advocated for anti-democratic ideologies, gaining traction in some sectors. Simultaneously, the extreme left championed the establishment of a dictatorship of the proletariat, presenting communism as an alternative to democracy. The spread of democratic regimes was abruptly halted. With Mussolini’s rise to power in Italy, dictatorships proliferated, and democracies only survived in nations with stronger democratic traditions.
Western Democracies in Crisis
Western democracies faced significant challenges, partly due to the tensions stemming from the WWI peace treaties and the effects of the 1929 economic crisis.
France
France endured substantial material and human losses during the war. However, it experienced a swift economic recovery, and its power was less affected by the 1929 crisis. The democratic regime established after the war faced challenges from anti-democratic organizations. Political instability and the economic crisis fueled the rise of anti-parliamentary groups. The extreme right caused significant unrest, prompting a reaction from the extreme left, which led to the creation of the Popular Front. The Popular Front won the elections, implementing employment and social reforms, but the government lasted only two years.
United Kingdom
The UK’s industrial backwardness led to increased unemployment, exacerbated by the 1929 crisis. The democratic system was generally respected in Parliament, where the extremes of right and left had minimal influence. The political landscape was characterized by peaceful conflict between the Conservative and Labour parties. The issue of Irish independence also arose. In the 1919 elections, Irish independence deputies refused to participate in the British Parliament and established an Irish Parliament in Dublin, proclaiming independence. In 1921, the Irish Free State was finally recognized.
United States
Conservatism in the U.S. was evident in the enactment of Prohibition. Other manifestations included the persecution of labor and the marginalization of leftist organizations. The 1920s saw a trend towards international isolation, resulting in the non-ratification of the Treaty of Versailles and the refusal to join the League of Nations, as well as reduced immigration. Economically, the U.S. emerged from WWI as the world’s leading economic power, a situation that improved during the 1920s before the 1929 crisis. Subsequently, the country embarked on a progressive political and social shift.
The Weimar Republic in Germany
The newly proclaimed German Republic faced opposition from both the Spartacists, who promoted a Bolshevik-style revolution (which was crushed), and the right-wing, who accused the government of treason for accepting the Treaty of Versailles. The democratic regime struggled with the unpopularity of the Treaty of Versailles, hyperinflation, and the economic crisis of 1929. The economic crisis led to a political crisis. In the 1930 elections, more radical parties received a third of the votes. A few years later, Nazi party leader Adolf Hitler became chancellor with the support of right-wing and center parties, who saw Nazism as a cultural ally in the fight against communism.