The German Left and the Weimar Republic : A Selection of Documents.

Intro -- Contents -- Preface -- Acknowledgements -- Abbreviations -- General Introduction -- 1 Social Democracy in Government: Measures of Reform in Theory and Practice -- Introduction -- Documents -- 1.1 Proclamation of the Council of People's Representatives, 12 November 1918 -- 1.2 The Agreement for Co-Operation Made on 15 November 1918 Between 21 Employers' Associations and 7 Trade Unions -- 1.3 Demobilisation Office Ordinance Establishing a Maximum Working Day of Eight Hours for Industrial Workers, 23 November 1918 (extract) -- 1.4 'Up with Social Democracy!' The Editorial of 8 December 1918 in the Social Democratic Newspaper Vorwärts (extract) -- 1.5 Rudolf Hilferding's Speech at the First Congress of Workers' and Soldiers' Councils Arguing against the Immediate Socialisation of Industry, 18 December 1918 (extracts) -- 1.6 Friedrich Ebert's Address to the Opening Session of the Constituent National Assembly, 6 February 1919 -- 1.7 The Government Programme of 13 February 1919, Presented to the National Assembly by the SPD Reich Chancellor, Philipp Scheidemann -- 1.8 'Socialisation is Here!'. Proclamation of 4 March 1919 by the Scheidemann Government -- 1.9 The 'Socialisation Law' of 23 March 1919 -- 1.10 Karl Kautsky's Speech on 'The Socialisation of Economic Life' at the Second Congress of Councils, April 1919 -- 1.11 Rudolf Wissell's Speech of June 1919 to the SPD Party Congress Criticising the Record of the Government of Which He Was a Member -- 1.12 Eduard David (SPD) Praises the Weimar Constitution, July 1919 -- 1.13 Rudolf Wissell Argues in Favour of a Planned Economy, October 1919 -- 1.14 The SPD Leadership Calls its Cabinet Ministers to Order in November 1919 -- 1.15 Wilhelm Keil, SPD Minister of Labour, Recalls his Difficulties with the Eight-Hour Day.

1.16 The Unreality of Power, 1928-1930: Rudolf Wissell Explains why the SPD Government of 1928-30, of Which he Was a Member, was Unable to Implement the 1927 Measures of Social Legislation -- 2 The Council Idea: Workers' Councils and Factory Councils -- Introduction -- Documents -- 2.1 Ernst Däumig Advocates the Council System and Argues Against Summoning a Constituent Assembly, 16 November 1918 -- 2.2 Georg Ledebour Defends the Authority of the Berlin Executive Council at a Joint Session with the Council of People's Representatives, 18 November 1918 -- 2.3 Agreement between the Council of People's Representatives and the Berlin Executive Council, 22 November 1918 -- 2.4 Heinrich Cunow (SPD) opposes the Council System, 22 November 1918 -- 2.5 Discussion in the Council of People's Representatives about Relations with the Berlin Executive Council, Afternoon Session, 13 December 1918 -- 2.6 People's Representative Friedrich Ebert Calls on the Central Council of Workers' and Soldiers' Councils to Establish Democracy and the Rule of Law in Germany, 16 December 1918 -- 2.7 Heinrich Laufenberg's Resolution Calling on the First Congress of Councils to Take Power, 16 December 1918 -- 2.8 Heinrich Laufenberg Defends His Resolution of 16 December 1918 -- 2.9 Resolution of the First Congress of Councils on the Respective Areas of Competence of the Central Council and the Government, 18 December 1918 -- 2.10 The USPD Members of the Council of People's Representatives Announce their Resignation in Protest Against the Central Council's Declaration of 28 December 1918 -- 2.11 Views of Dr. August Müller on the Economic Disadvantages of the Council System at the Cabinet Session of 21 January 1919 -- 2.12 Proclamation by the Central Council of the German Socialist Republic Handing Over its Power to the National Assembly, 4 February 1919.

2.13 The USPD Appeals 'to the Revolutionary Proletariat' to Defend the Workers' Councils, 11 February 1919 -- 2.14 Demands of the Berlin Workers' and Soldiers' Councils, 3 March 1919 -- 2.15 The Proclamation of the Bavarian Council Republic, 7 April 1919 -- 2.16 SPD Resolution on the Question of Councils, Adopted in April 1919 by the Second Congress of Councils -- 2.17 The Communists and Independents (KPD and USPD) Oppose the Passing of the Factory Council Law, 12 January 1920 -- 2.18 The Factory Council Law of 4 February 1920 -- 2.19 The KPD Puts its View of the Tasks of the Factory Councils -- 3 Communism and Insurrection -- Introduction -- Documents -- 3.1 A Call to Revolt by the Spartacists and the Revolutionary Shop Stewards, 9 January 1919 -- 3.2 'Despite Everything'. Karl Liebknecht's last article, 15 January 1919 -- 3.3 Paul Levi's Fight against Putschism in June 1919 -- 3.4 Declaration of Communist Principles and Tactics drawn up by Paul Levi and adopted by the Second Congress of the KPD (S), October 1919 -- 3.5 Theses on Parliamentarism, Laid Before the 2nd. Congress of the KPD (S), 23 October 1919 -- 3.6 Theses on Trade Union Questions, Laid Before the 2nd. Congress of the KPD (S), 23 October 1919 -- 3.7 The 'Vorwärts Revelations'. The Reports of Lemke and Bowitzky to the VKPD Zentrale, 8 April 1921 and 12 April 1921 -- 3.8 Theses on the March Action, Adopted by the KPD Zentrale on 7 April 1921 -- 3.9 The Proceedings of the Chemnitz Conference of 21 October 1923, as Reported by the SPD's Main Newspaper -- 3.10 Resolution Issued by the KPD Zentrale on the Impending Clash of Revolution and Counter-Revolution, [28] October 1923 -- 3.11 KPD Resolution on 'The Victory of Fascism over the November Republic and the Tasks of the KPD', 3 November 1923 -- 3.12 The ECCI's Resolution on the Lessons of the German Events, 19 January 1924.

3.13 Military Lessons of the October 1923 Struggles in Hamburg -- 4 In Defence of Democracy -- Introduction -- Documents -- 4.1 Joint Call by German Trade Unions for a General Strike against the Kapp Putsch, 13 March 1920 -- 4.2 Proclamation by the KPD Zentrale Opposing the General Strike, Issued on 14 March 1920 -- 4.3 Paul Levi's Critique of the Line Taken by the KPD Zentrale Towards the Kapp Putsch -- 4.4 The Nine Point Programme of the ADGB, the AfA and the DBB, 18 March 1920 -- 4.5 Open Letter of 8 January 1921 from the VKPD to Other Workers' Organisations Calling for United Action -- 4.6 The KPD's Theses on the United Front Tactic and the Workers' Government, February 1923 -- 4.7 Rudolf Hilferding's 1927 Speech on the Importance of the Defence of Democracy for Socialists -- 4.8 Siegfried Aufhäuser Replies to Hilferding (1927) -- 4.9 Rudolf Breitscheid (SPD) Suggests in May 1929 that the Party may have to Withdraw from the Grand Coalition and Defend Democracy from Outside -- 4.10 Julius Leber Reflects in Prison on the Failure of Social Democracy after 1928 -- 4.11 The KPD Analysis of the September 1930 Elections -- 4.12 Gustav Radbruch Looks Back on the 'Excessive Rationalism' of the SPD -- 4.13 Discussion between the Leaders of the SPD and the German Chancellor, Heinrich Brüning, on their Conditions for Parliamentary Support, 17 March 1931 -- 4.14 Otto Braun (SPD) Writes from Berlin to Karl Kautsky in Vienna, 19 February 1932 about his Decision to Support Hindenburg as Presidential Candidate -- 4.15 Otto Wels (SPD) on the Party's Reaction to Papen's Coup of 20 July 1932 -- 4.16 Rudolf Hilferding (SPD) on the Need to Preserve Parliament and Fight Against Left and Right Simultaneously, November 1932 -- 5 The Weimar Left Between Opposition and Coalition: Varied Strategies -- Introduction -- Documents.

5.1 Letter of 11 June 1920 from the SPD Chancellor, Hermann Müller, to the Chair of the USPD, Arthur Crispien, with Crispien's Reply -- 5.2 Hermann Müller's Speech to a Joint Session of the Party Executive, the Party Committee and the Parliamentary Party Explaining Why the Social Democrats Are No Longer in the Government, 13 June 1920 -- 5.3 Reasons Given by Leading Social Democrat Otto Wels for the Party's Unwillingness to Return to Office after the 1920 Elections -- 5.4 Philipp Scheidemann Defends the Idea of a Coalition with Other Parties (September 1921) -- 5.5 Franz Krüger  Gives Reasons Why the SPD Should Not Continue to Stay Out of Office (September 1921) -- 5.6 The Ten Demands of the ADGB and the AfA, November 1921 -- 5.7 Resolution on the Campaign for a Tax on Property, Adopted by the CC of the KPD, 17 November 1921 -- 5.8 Resolution Proposed at the 1922 Congress of the Free Trade Unions (ADGB) Against Collaboration with the Employers and in Favour of Factory and Workers' Councils -- 5.9 Robert Schmidt (SPD) Advocates Requisitioning Material Assets as a Step Towards Socialism -- 5.10 Robert Dissmann's Resolution of June 1924 on the Need for the SPD to Conduct an Uncompromising Opposition to the Government -- 5.11 Hermann Müller's Resolution on the Continuing Need for Coalition Agreements -- 5.12 Theodore Leipart Advocates a More Political Standpoint for the Trade Unions in 1925 -- 5.13 Resolution Calling on the SPD Parliamentary Group to Pursue a Policy of Determined Opposition to the Bourgeois Parties (September 1925) -- 5.14 The Joint SPD-KPD Proposal for the Expropriation of the Former German Princes, 28 April 1926 -- 5.15 Paul Levi's Analysis of the Bourgeois Bloc (Bürgerblock) Government, January 1927 -- 5.16 Siegfried Aufhäuser's Resolution of 1927 Calling for Opposition Instead of Coalition.

5.17 Georg Decker's 1930 Critique of the Opponents of Coalition Politics.

This collection of documents on Weimar Germany presents the governmental politics of the Social Democrats and the revolutionary politics of the Communists, as well as the attitude of the left to a number of key social issues.

Description based on publisher supplied metadata and other sources.

Electronic reproduction. Ann Arbor, Michigan : ProQuest Ebook Central, 2024. Available via World Wide Web. Access may be limited to ProQuest Ebook Central affiliated libraries.