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Great Depression
What was the Great Depression? Not a question that is easy to answer. It was caused by many differing factors including
- reparations payments,
- U.S. foreign loans,
- stock market speculation,
- poor financial management of people in government,
- overproduction, and
- a number of differing and independent factors.
Diagram
Look at the diagram below regarding one of the major contributing factors to the Great Depression.
Payments were made in a cycle. France and Britain had borrowed money from the U.S. to finance their war efforts. They had to repay the U.S. Allies pay the United States billions for war debts for their loans. Germany was strapped with reparations payments Germany pays billions in reparations to the Allies to the Allies (France and Britain) and the U. S. loaned Germany United States loans billions to Germany the money to pay them. When the stock market crashed in October of 1929, the U.S. could not loan That cut off the U.S. loans money to Germany cycle. money to Germany, and Germany could not pay their debts That cut off this part of the cycle and also meant that the Allies could not make further payments to the U.S. to pull them out of their depression. to the Allies.
Form of Fascism
There was no money available, people defaulted on their loans, jobs were lost and countries across the world were in serious financial trouble. When problems like this occur, and people need jobs, they look for leadership that will put things right. In Germany, Italy, and Spain, it came in the form of Fascism.
Fascism
Fascism in its most basic terms glorifies the interests of the state and minimizes the interests and rights of the individual. It is in direct opposition to democracy. Communism, on the other hand, seeks to create a classless society internationally that is also subservient to the state, even though communism should actually seek to run without the need of a governmental structure. Look at the chart below: (downloadable version)
Fascism |
Communism |
Differences |
|
A nationalistic movement that supports
|
An international movement that supports worldwide revolution to overthrow national governments |
| Rules in the interest of the state, not the individual | Rules by and for the proletariat (working class) |
| Appeals to upper and middle (the property-owning) classes who fear a leftist revolution that threatens to take away their wealth and property | Appeals to lower and working classes, especially people without property |
| Aims at eliminating class conflict but retains class structure, protecting wealth and private property but ultimately controlling its use in the name of the nation | Aims at
|
| Finds individualism to be destructive because individualism removes allegiance to the state first. | Finds individualism to be destructive because individualism gives rise to capitalism and democracy. |
Similarities |
|
| Government controls all aspects of life | Government controls all aspects of life |
| Is violently anti-communist | Is violently anti-fascist |
Neither Stalin nor Hitler had a good opinion of the other. See this cartoon Rendezvous. Pay close attention to this cartoon as you are about to study the incident that caused its creation. As you can see, they don't like each other, but notice the body on the ground that both are standing over. You may be analyzing this cartoon very soon!
Post-WWI Leaders
As you watch the following films, complete the 9.04 Notes questions. Answer them as you watch and then print out your sheet to use as a study guide. Login information
- Hideki Tojo (5:54)
- Franciso Franco (4:07)
- Joseph Stalin (4:46)
Benito Mussolini
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