The Interwar PeriodThe Interwar Period

A world safe for democracy?A world safe for democracy?

Europe at the end of World War IEurope at the end of World War I

An unsettled & uncertain period:An unsettled & uncertain period: Maps redrawnMaps redrawn

• New borders and new states createdNew borders and new states created Revolutionary forces unleashedRevolutionary forces unleashed Economies out of jointEconomies out of joint Inauspicious circumstances for new Inauspicious circumstances for new

states & new democraciesstates & new democracies

New borders and new statesNew borders and new states

Imperfect process, based on self-determination, Imperfect process, based on self-determination, but…. but…. mapmap map2map2

Multiple claims, many unsatisfied– e.g. ItalyMultiple claims, many unsatisfied– e.g. Italy National groups included in countries not of their National groups included in countries not of their

choosing – e.g. Slovaks, Hungarianschoosing – e.g. Slovaks, Hungarians• New minorities createdNew minorities created

Successor states fragileSuccessor states fragile• anything but homogeneous – e.g. Polandanything but homogeneous – e.g. Poland

Result: older revanchist claims persist, new ones Result: older revanchist claims persist, new ones createdcreated

Economies out of jointEconomies out of joint

Pre-war trade patterns disruptedPre-war trade patterns disrupted Abrupt shift from wartime to peacetime Abrupt shift from wartime to peacetime

production production • Widespread unemploymentWidespread unemployment

Debts and reparations: Debts and reparations: • Allies owe money to USAllies owe money to US• Ability to pay contingent on reparations which Ability to pay contingent on reparations which

can’t be paidcan’t be paid Devalued currencies wipe out savingsDevalued currencies wipe out savings

Revolutionary forces unleashedRevolutionary forces unleashed

Bolsheviks seize power in 1917Bolsheviks seize power in 1917• Seen as catalyst for world revolutionSeen as catalyst for world revolution

Outbreaks elsewhere abortedOutbreaks elsewhere aborted• HungaryHungary• AustriaAustria• GermanyGermany

However, fears persistHowever, fears persist

Class conflict & class divisionsClass conflict & class divisions Socialist movements & Socialist movements &

their aspirationstheir aspirationsThe The

InternationaleInternationale Tensions between Tensions between

voluntarism, voluntarism, orthodoxy & orthodoxy & revisionismrevisionism

Supported the war Supported the war despite their intention despite their intention to sit it out & pick up to sit it out & pick up the piecesthe pieces

Divided afterwardDivided afterward

Marx v. Lenin: Marx v. Lenin: Marx: Marx:

• inevitable revolution inevitable revolution • will occur at will occur at the highest phases of the highest phases of

capitalismcapitalism Lenin: Lenin:

• takes voluntarist approachtakes voluntarist approach• Class consciousness insufficient: Revolution Class consciousness insufficient: Revolution

must be made by small conspiratorial must be made by small conspiratorial organization, acting as organization, acting as vanguard of the vanguard of the proletariatproletariat

• Capitalism like a chain: it will break at its Capitalism like a chain: it will break at its weakest link, triggering revolution elsewhereweakest link, triggering revolution elsewhere

• With Trotsky, engineers Russian RevolutonWith Trotsky, engineers Russian Revoluton

After the revolutionAfter the revolution Counter-insurgencies: Counter-insurgencies:

• White Russian White Russian • Foreign interventionsForeign interventions• Ongoing battles from 1917 to 1920Ongoing battles from 1917 to 1920

Internally: Internally: War CommunismWar Communism Problem: what do you do when the Problem: what do you do when the

expected world revolution does not occur?expected world revolution does not occur?• Promote world revolution (Trotsky)?Promote world revolution (Trotsky)?• Or consolidate power?Or consolidate power?

Solutions Solutions

New Economic PolicyNew Economic Policy (1921-1924) (1921-1924)• End war communism,End war communism,• Allow small-scale capitalismAllow small-scale capitalism• ““one step backward, two steps forward”one step backward, two steps forward”

Lenin impaired in 1922, dies in 1924 Lenin impaired in 1922, dies in 1924 Solutions emerge from power Solutions emerge from power

struggle:struggle:• Stalin out-maneuvers rivalsStalin out-maneuvers rivals• opts for “opts for “socialism in one countrysocialism in one country””

Social Democrats v. CommunistsSocial Democrats v. Communists

Lenin’s 21 points split Lenin’s 21 points split international socialist international socialist movementmovement

GermanyGermany• Independent Soc. vs. Independent Soc. vs.

SPDSPD France: France:

• Bolsheviks capture SFIO Bolsheviks capture SFIO in 1920 in 1920

• Turn into PCFTurn into PCF• SFIO recreated but SFIO recreated but

without a working class without a working class base base

Germany (1918-19)Germany (1918-19)

Impending defeatImpending defeat Generals shift power to the ReichstagGenerals shift power to the Reichstag Kaiser abdicatesKaiser abdicates Weimar Republic (1919)Weimar Republic (1919)

• Proclaimed by Socialists (SPD) and Proclaimed by Socialists (SPD) and Catholics (Zentrum, Z)Catholics (Zentrum, Z)

Reaction against punitive peaceReaction against punitive peace• Myth that Germany was not defeatedMyth that Germany was not defeated

Multiple problemsMultiple problems

Attempted revolution, Nov. 1918Attempted revolution, Nov. 1918 Economic dislocation, recessionEconomic dislocation, recession Civil unrestCivil unrest

• Kapp putschKapp putsch• FreikorpsFreikorps

Spartacist Uprising (1919)Spartacist Uprising (1919) SPD-led government uses Wehrmacht, SPD-led government uses Wehrmacht,

imperial bureaucracy to retain controlimperial bureaucracy to retain control

Germany 1918Germany 1918

Freikorps: GermanyFreikorps: Germany

Rosa Luxembourg & the Spartacist Rosa Luxembourg & the Spartacist League (1919)League (1919)

Broader problems:Broader problems:

According to Wilson, World War I fought to According to Wilson, World War I fought to make the world ‘safe for democracy’make the world ‘safe for democracy’

Disintegration of multinational empires Disintegration of multinational empires leads to new statesleads to new states

Successor statesSuccessor states• Begin with baggageBegin with baggage

Unhappy minoritiesUnhappy minorities Minimal economic resourcesMinimal economic resources

• Not necessarily stable democracies nor, after a Not necessarily stable democracies nor, after a while, democracies at allwhile, democracies at all

• Czechoslovakia: flawed exception?Czechoslovakia: flawed exception?

Containing the political forces Containing the political forces unleashedunleashed

Ethno-nationalist conflictsEthno-nationalist conflicts Class conflictsClass conflicts Demands for change and reform: Demands for change and reform:

initial successes:initial successes:• Universal manhood suffrage in most Universal manhood suffrage in most

countriescountries• Women’s suffrage in manyWomen’s suffrage in many• 8 hour day for some (often reversed)8 hour day for some (often reversed)

Outcomes:Outcomes:

Reverse wave:Reverse wave:• New states revert from democracy to New states revert from democracy to

dictatorshipdictatorship Tense and unsettled period:Tense and unsettled period:

• Lights, which went out in 1914 do not go Lights, which went out in 1914 do not go on again until 1924on again until 1924

Nevertheless, the 1920s a period of Nevertheless, the 1920s a period of tremendous creativity, energytremendous creativity, energy