9.2 EXTRA: politics in a democracy

9.2 EXTRA: politics in a democracy
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HistoryMiddelbare schoolhavo, vwoLeerjaar 3

This lesson contains 27 slides, with interactive quizzes and text slides.

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9.2 EXTRA: politics in a democracy

Slide 1 - Slide

The Weimar Republic (1919 - 1933)
After WW1 Germany became 
  • a republic (instead of an absolute monarchy)
  • and a parliamentary democracy.

  • In a democracy power is in the hands of the people.
  • Because there are too many people in a country to be involved in politics every day, the people elect representatives to make decisions for them (=indirect democracy).
  • These representatives come together in a parliament.
  • thus, parliament is "the people's representatives".


Slide 2 - Slide

The Weimar Republic (1919 - 1933)
  • Every modern democracy uses a parliament.
  • Parliament is the legislative power (in the Trias Politica system).
  • This means that parliament makes the laws.

Slide 3 - Slide

The Weimar Republic (1919 - 1933)
  • Members of parliament are elected in the general elections (every 4 years)
  • Usually they belong to a political party
  • If elected, they get a seat in parliament
  • the party with the most seats has the best chance to get its laws passed.

Slide 4 - Slide

The Weimar Republic (1918 - 1933)
  • the name of a parliament or the number of members differs per country:

  • NL: Staten-Generaal: Tweede Kamer (150 seats)
  • UK: Parliament: House of Commons (650 seats)
  • USA: Congress: House of Representatives (435 seats)
  • Germany: Bundestag (before 1945: Reichstag) (598 seats)


Slide 5 - Slide

The Weimar Republic (1919 - 1933)
  • In some countries there is an additional "chamber" that serves as an extra check before a law is passed.

  • NL: Staten-Generaal: Tweede Kamer + Eerste Kamer (senaat) 
  • UK: Parliament: House of Commons + House of Lords
  • USA: Congress: House of Representatives + Senate


Slide 6 - Slide

parliament =
the people's representatives!!
= volksvertegenwoordiging



elected by the people


Slide 7 - Slide

the separation of power: Trias Politica
the courts
parliament
the government:
Prime minister + ministers

Slide 8 - Drag question

Tweede Kamer, Den Haag

Slide 9 - Slide

House of Commons, London

Slide 10 - Slide

House of Representatives, Washington

Slide 11 - Slide

Bundestag, Berlin

Slide 12 - Slide

Reichstag, Berlin, 1922

Slide 13 - Slide

The Weimar Republic (1919 - 1933)
After the first general elections for the Reichstag in a democratic Germany, the largest party became: the Social Democrats (SDP, = like our PvdA), followed by the Liberals (= like our VVD) and the Catholics (= like our CDA).

Slide 14 - Slide

The Weimar Republic (1919 - 1933)
These parties all embrace freedom and democracy. That is why we say that they belong to the political center.

  • There were also political parties that hated democracy, for example:

  • communists (who wanted a country like the Soviet Union)
  • nationalists (who wanted Germany to be a strong empire again)

  • These undemocratic groups we call extremists.

Slide 15 - Slide

Slide 16 - Slide

Spartakists
Freikorps

Slide 17 - Slide

Which power does parliament hold in the Trias Politica
(or in any democratic state)?
A
judicial power
B
absolute power
C
legislative power
D
executive power

Slide 18 - Quiz

Which of the following does NOT belong to parliament?
A
1e & 2e Kamer
B
Staten-Generaal
C
peoples' representatives
D
prime minister

Slide 19 - Quiz

What was the name of the German parliament during the Weimar Republic?
A
Bundestag
B
Reichstag
C
Freitag
D
Rekentaak

Slide 20 - Quiz

So, parliament "makes the laws".
But it has another function within the Trias Politica.

Which one?
A
execute the new laws
B
check the government
C
prosecute people who break the law
D
appoint the king

Slide 21 - Quiz

Parliament:
  • in a democracy power is separated into 3 equal branches.
  • parliament is the legislative power: it makes the laws.
  • parliament is elected by the people. It is therefore "the people's representatives".
  • The other two branches are the executive and judicial power.
  • The executive power is the government.
  • But what is a government?

Slide 22 - Slide

Government:
  • the government is a small group: ministers, led by a prime minister.
  • This group is mostly referred to as the cabinet.
  • The cabinet's task is to execute parliament's laws.
  • A new cabinet is formed after the (parliament) elections.
  • The winning party of the elections has the first choice to form a cabinet and appoint the (prime) ministers from its own party.

Slide 23 - Slide

Slide 24 - Slide

Slide 25 - Slide

Slide 26 - Slide

Government:
  • So:     government = cabinet =  ministers (+ prime minister)
  • With a majority support in parliament a cabinet can pass its own plans / ideas (= its policy) as new laws.
  • In Germany the prime minister is called the "chancellor" (kanselier)
  • Hitler wanted his nazi party to win the Reichstag elections.
  • He would then become chancellor.
  • He could then start to execute his own plans.....




Slide 27 - Slide