This lesson contains 27 slides, with interactive quizzes and text slides.
Lesson duration is: 20 min
Items in this lesson
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)
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.