4 ms·

USG -> Weimar Republic is seeming like a pretty legitimate parallel in a lot of ways; ineffective, etc. More so in 2008; that the world economy seems to have m

by rdl 13y ago

USG -> Weimar Republic is seeming like a pretty legitimate parallel in a lot of ways; ineffective, etc. More so in 2008; that the world economy seems to have mostly survived makes it much less of a risk, but if China imploded and/or 2008 repeated itself, I would be extra suspicious of someone promoting a State-led program of national renewal.

cafard 13y ago
I would suggest that it seems the more legitimate the less one knows about the Weimar Republic. The US has never been through a catastrophe such as WW I and its immediate aftermath were in Germany; and for all the lively efforts here and there, the US government is generally perceived in the US as the legitimate government, as the Weimar government was not perceived by large portions of the governing classes--the courts and the military, notably.
- rdl 13y ago
  I don't know as much as I'd like about Weimar; is there a "standard" good book on it in English? I know WW2 and WW1 a lot better, but the Weimar-and-rise-of-Nazis part always falls into the cracks.
  - dredmorbius 13y ago
    Standard I'm not so sure. Eric D. Weitz, Weimar Germany covers the period, focusing extensively on the cultural and artistic aspects. http://www.powells.com/biblio/1-9780691157962-0 http://www.powells.com/biblio/1-9780691157962-0 Related, from Powells: http://www.powells.com/subjects/history-and-social-science/europe/germany/weimar-republic/ http://www.powells.com/subjects/history-and-social-science/e...
  - cafard 13y ago
    Gordon Craig's history of Germany 1867-1945 is worth reading, not just for its coverage of the Weimar Republic.
- mjn 13y ago
  The US also doesn't have nearly the problem with paramilitary groups that the Weimar Republic had. Their official control over even the capital was so tenuous that they in effect resorted to setting up their own "pro-government" paramilitary group to counter the left- and right-wing anti-government groups: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reichsbanner_Schwarz-Rot-Gold http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reichsbanner_Schwarz-Rot-Gold

by rdl 13y ago

cafard 13y ago

I would suggest that it seems the more legitimate the less one knows about the Weimar Republic. The US has never been through a catastrophe such as WW I and its immediate aftermath were in Germany; and for all the lively efforts here and there, the US government is generally perceived in the US as the legitimate government, as the Weimar government was not perceived by large portions of the governing classes--the courts and the military, notably.

rdl 13y ago
I don't know as much as I'd like about Weimar; is there a "standard" good book on it in English? I know WW2 and WW1 a lot better, but the Weimar-and-rise-of-Nazis part always falls into the cracks.
- dredmorbius 13y ago
  Standard I'm not so sure. Eric D. Weitz, Weimar Germany covers the period, focusing extensively on the cultural and artistic aspects. http://www.powells.com/biblio/1-9780691157962-0 http://www.powells.com/biblio/1-9780691157962-0 Related, from Powells: http://www.powells.com/subjects/history-and-social-science/europe/germany/weimar-republic/ http://www.powells.com/subjects/history-and-social-science/e...
- cafard 13y ago
  Gordon Craig's history of Germany 1867-1945 is worth reading, not just for its coverage of the Weimar Republic.
mjn 13y ago
The US also doesn't have nearly the problem with paramilitary groups that the Weimar Republic had. Their official control over even the capital was so tenuous that they in effect resorted to setting up their own "pro-government" paramilitary group to counter the left- and right-wing anti-government groups: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reichsbanner_Schwarz-Rot-Gold http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reichsbanner_Schwarz-Rot-Gold