The Extent and Causes of Unemployment in the Weimar Republic

The history of the Weimar Republic, especially the history of its social and economic development, is frequently interpreted as being merely the prehistory of National Socialism. With reference above all to inflation, high unemployment and the Great Depression, the 13 years of the first German Republic are seen as a succession of disasters inseparably linked to Hitler’s advent to power. Mass unemployment, in particular, is blamed for the triumph of political radicalism over democratic stability. Although the problem of unemployment was not peculiar to Germany, in no other country was such an explosive combination of social collapse and political instability produced, which was to influence the course of history in such a fateful way. Questions regarding the extent and causes of unemployment, therefore, need to be posed for reasons extending beyond mere historical interest — particularly in view of the experiences of the early 1980s. If history has anything to teach us here, it would be that democracies require a social consensus and job opportunities for everyone if they are to survive on a long-term basis.