Government economic policies had a mainly positive effect on the German economy in the period 1871-1990. How far do you agree with this statement

Question 1

When did Bismarck introduce tariffs?

Answer 1

1879

Question 2

What did the Reichstag pass in order for Bismarck to introduce tariffs?

Answer 2

The protective tariff law 1879

Question 3

Who backed the 1879 Protective Tariff Law?

Answer 3

The two conservative parties and the centre party

Question 4

How was the Protective Tariff law a political tool for Bismarck?

Answer 4

He wanted to use it to weaken the national liberals and strengthens his now preferred german conservatives

Question 5

How did Bismarck make the Protective Tariff law a matter of patriotism?

Answer 5

He said that supporting it was a patriotic duty because it supported Germany against foreign competition, and so those who backed free trade were traitors to Germany

Question 6

Who backed free trade?

Answer 6

National Liberals

Question 7

What was the impact of the Protective Tariff Law for Bismarck’s voter base which suggests that it did have a good impact on the German economy?

Answer 7

Many National Liberal Voters were peasant farmers switched to the Bismarck-backed Conservative party.

Question 8

How did those in heavy industry respond to the 1879 tariffs?

Answer 8

They were grateful for the tariffs however they were disappointed that they were higher on agriculture than they were on iron

Question 9

When did Wilhelm II enter power?

Answer 9

1888

Question 10

what did Wilhelm II want to resurrect in order to promote growth and reinforce Germany’s world status?

Answer 10

Navy

Question 11

Why did the german middle and academic classes support the resurrection of the navy?

Answer 11

because of the economic benefits that it would lead to

Question 12

What suggests that government policy had a negative impact in the early stages?

Answer 12

By 1873, the German economy had collapsed because it had expanded too quickly with too many businesses setting up with unsustainable business strategies

Question 13

Inspire of the 1873 collapse, what did the National Liberals maintain?

Answer 13

That free trade was the best way to maintain Germany’s position

Question 14

How were the protectionist policies perhaps not beneficial in the long term?

Answer 14

the lack of cheap russian imports for grain meant that the price of bread went up

Question 15

How were the protectionist policies beneficial in the short term?

Answer 15

boosted the price of german agricultural produce

Question 16

Which two people did what in 1924 in Weimar?

Answer 16

Chancellor Stresemann with help from Schact introduced the interim currency of the Rentenmark which stabilised the economy

Question 17

What had happened in 1927 which suggests that government policy and a positive impact?

Answer 17

By 1927 industrial production had reached pre-WW1 levels

Question 18

Between which two dates did GDP grow significantly under Weimar?

Answer 18

1825-1829

Question 19

When was the Dawes plan

Answer 19

1824

Question 20

What is the downside of the 1824 Dawes plan?

Answer 20

The Dawes plan, however, was only a positive decision in the short term and in the longer term created a much more fragile economy than would otherwise have been created. Germany suffered far worse than did their neighbours of France or Italy because of the extent to which they relied on Wall Street Investment.

Question 21

When was hyperinflation?

Answer 21

1923

Question 22

How much did a loaf of bread cost due to hyperinflation?

Answer 22

DM9 million

Question 23

Why was there hyperinflation due to government policies?

Answer 23

government was unwilling to rationalise the economy and tried to pay for reparations by printing money rather than raising taxes

Question 24

What is the one word that sums up the impact of government policies not he economy during the Kaiserreich?

Answer 24

varied

Question 25

How were the Nazis successful?

Answer 25

successful in terms of employment not so much in terms of consumer sector

Question 26

When was Schact made president of the Reichsbank

Answer 26

March 1933

Question 27

between which dates was Schact minister for Economics?

Answer 27

August 1934—November 1937

Question 28

What kind of economics did Schact believe in?

Answer 28

Keynesian

Question 29

What did Schact's belief in Keynesian economics mean?

Answer 29

That governments should spend their way out of economic misfortune rather than making cuts

Question 30

What did Schact's economic beliefs about spending mean for infrastructure?

Answer 30

This led to RM 5 000 million being invested in public works programmes between 1933-35

Question 31

RM 5 000 million was invested in public works programmes between 1933-35. What did this mean for employment levels in the Nazi era?

Answer 31

unemployment falling from 2.7 million in 1934 to 1.7 million in 1935

Question 32

what is the deficit financing in the Nazis known as?

Answer 32

Mefo bills

Question 33

What were Mefo Bills?

Answer 33

government contracts to large companies, mostly for re-armament, were not paid in Reichmarks, but in credit notes that found be paid in four years’ time

Question 34

How many RM worth of Mefo Bills did the Reichsbank issue?

Answer 34

RM 12 000 million

Question 35

What percentage of arms expenditure between 1934-36 was financed by Mefo bills?

Answer 35

50%

Question 36

As the economy recovered, however, Mefo Bills were used less, why was this and what did it suggest?

Answer 36

as taxation and loans could be used to finance Hitler’s drive for war. The fact that they were being used with reduced frequency is indicative of government policies that were aiding the economy’s recovery.

Question 37

what did Schact introduce in 1934?

Answer 37

New Plan

Question 38

What did the New Plan do?

Answer 38

Regulated imports with a series of agreements with SE European and South American countries

Question 39

What did the New Plan ensure?

Answer 39

A strong supply of raw materials

Question 40

How did the New Plan respond to the poor balance of payments that germany was experiencing?

Answer 40

The imports would be paid for German marks but the deals stated that they had to be used to buy German exports or invest in German industries. This ensured that there was also a high demand for German exported goods

Question 41

Who, from what year as minister for armament and ammunitions, streamlined the economy and reduced the confusion that had been created under Göring’s four year plan

Answer 41

1940 Fritz Todt

Question 42

what happened to Todt and what did this mean for his job?

Answer 42

Died in a plane crash which meant that Speer took over in 1939

Question 43

Through reducing wastage what arms production increase did Speer oversee?

Answer 43

Reducing wastage, he achieved an arms production level that was 32% higher in 1942 than in 1939.

Question 44

By utilising modern production techniques, Speer increased tank and engine production by what percentage despite what happening?

Answer 44

Speer increased tank and engine production by 200% between 1939 and 1944, depsite the number of workers only increasing by 11%

Question 45

From 1933, rearmament contracts were made with how many companies, showing the extent of the economic benefits to rearmament?

Answer 45

2 800

Question 46

Which company took tractor order which were actually for tanks, covert because it violated the terms of Versailles?

Answer 46

Krupps

Question 47

Assess the 4 year plan

Answer 47

The Four Year plan was successful in that in increase Germany’s military capabilities but not to the amount that Hitler wanted.

Question 48

When did Schact resign?

Answer 48

1937

Question 49

What does Schact's 1937 resignation demonstrate?

Answer 49

that whilst there was strong growth in the early part of the Nazi period and government policy was having a positive effect, in the latter part this decreased.

Question 50

Why did Schact resign?

Answer 50

Schact resigned because he suggests that rearmament should be reduced and consumer goods production increased because imports lay at an unsustainable rate as Germany wasn't exporting enough to balance this.

Question 51

What did the 4 year plan invest heavily in order to pursue Hitler's dream of Autarky?

Answer 51

Ersatz goods that germany couldn't make or produce themselves

Question 52

what is the fact about Ersatz goods?

Answer 52

the production of synthetic fuels increased by 130% but this equated to just 18% of the demands for fuel

Question 53

Why was the economic success unsustainable by 1939?

Answer 53

By 1939, economic policy had become unsustainable because consumer spending was restricted by freezing wages and increasing taxation. in spite of the growing population

Question 54

What did Hitler ideologically oppose which limited the potential for employment success?

Answer 54

Employment of women, creating resentment against the government

Question 55

What happened in 1944?

Answer 55

Göbbels was made total war plenipotentiary in an attempt to reverse German losses

Question 56

Assess Göbbels being made total war plenipotentiary in an attempt to reverse German losses?

Answer 56

This largely failed, however, with only 271 000 more women hired and a barely functioning economy being propped up by 20% of the workforce being foreign.

Question 57

Overall what was the impact of policies in the FRG?

Answer 57

Mostly positive

Question 58

What basic ideology of Adenauer can much economic success be attributed to?

Answer 58

Adenauer was convinced that Germany’s economic future lay linked to the USA and greater integration with the world, an approach to which much of the successful growth can be attributed.

Question 59

Under the marshall plan, how much did Germany revive the 1940s and 1950s?

Answer 59

2.7 billion dollars

Question 60

What did a US report say about the value of Marshall aid?

Answer 60

crucial because it fired the economy

Question 61

What do some say about marshall aid?

Answer 61

Whilst it did not hinder growth, it only accelerated what was already happening

Question 62

What percentage of German imports were paid for by marshall aid?

Answer 62

37%

Question 63

when was the truman Doctrine announced?

Answer 63

12th June 1947

Question 64

What percentage of its pre war output had Germany achieved without aid by 1946?

Answer 64

40%

Question 65

When was tried-Zonia created?

Answer 65

June 1948

Question 66

what was the first step towards the EEC?

Answer 66

First step to European Economic Unity came in April 1951 with the formation of the European Coal and Steel Community (ECSC)

Question 67

The First step to European Economic Unity came in April 1951 with the formation of the European Coal and Steel Community (ECSC). What did it do?

Answer 67

which combined the heavy industries of France, West Germany, Italy, Belgium Holland and Luxembourg into one state

Question 68

What established the EEC and when was this?

Answer 68

25th March 1955 the Treaty of Rome established the EEC

Question 69

On 25th March 1955 the Treaty of Rome established the EEC. what did this do?

Answer 69

created a common market between the 6 nations, abolished tariffs and helped the West German economy considerably

Question 70

What percentage of imports and exports were related to the EEC by 1981?

Answer 70

45% of German exports went to EEC members whilst 47% of Germany’s imports came from the EEC

Question 71

What increased West Germany’s agricultural exports, especially in milk, sugar and butter?

Answer 71

The 1962 Common Agricultural Policy

Question 72

What shows the benefits of the CAP?

Answer 72

Between 1971-77 West Germany’s share of sugar exports within the EEC rose by 19%

Question 73

How expensive was the CAP for germany?

Answer 73

At times West Germany was spending 30% of its total expenditure on the CAP

Question 74

The CAP was expensive but who benefitted?

Answer 74

small agricultural industries

Question 75

What did the CAP encourage?

Answer 75

Inefficient domestic agricultural practices

Question 76

What percentage of the EEC's total budget did the CAP take up?

Answer 76

sometimes 70% but 50% in 1989

Question 77

Why did the extent to which Germany paid for the CAP upset those within germany?

Answer 77

West Germany was a highly industrialised nation with a small agricultural sector and a net importer of food so there was unhappiness at the country subsidising other countries’ agriculture.

Question 78

By 1989, what percentage of German Agricultural value came from CAP subsidies?

Answer 78

⅔

Question 79

What did Wilhelm support?

Answer 79

Weltpolitik

Question 80

What idd Weltpolitik mean?

Answer 80

Expanding Germany's navy and empire

Question 81

Who did Wilhelm give the task of expanding germany's navy?

Answer 81

Admiral Tirpitz

Question 82

Give an example of an industrialist who supported the new navy?

Answer 82

Krupps

Question 83

Why did Wilhelm's project originally flounder?

Answer 83

he couldn't get the reichstag to pass sufficient funds for the navy

Question 84

What did Tirpitz establish to pressure the reichstag?

Answer 84

the Navy League, a pressure group with the support of several industrialists aimed at campaigning for naval expansion

Question 85

When did the reichstag agree to Tirpitz' bill to build 17 ships over 7 years?

Answer 85

1898

Question 86

By when had Germany doubled the size of its navy?

Answer 86

1914

Question 87

When was the bill passed to increase the fleet to 36 ships?

Answer 87

1900

Question 88

How were these navy bills passed?

Answer 88

thanks to a huge propaganda campaign

Question 89

Despite the Kaiser's claims about the unifying power of the navy, who did he fail to win over?

Answer 89

The SPD

Question 90

What did Kohl sell shares in?

Answer 90

Lufthansa and Volkswagen