The Great Depression started with the Wall Street Crash in 1929 and had huge effects on Europe. The economic struggles changed politics all over the continent. It impacted governments, ideas, and how power was shared.
High Unemployment: The Great Depression caused many people to lose their jobs. For example, in Germany, the number of unemployed people jumped from 1.3 million in 1929 to 6 million by 1932. That was about 30% of all workers! This created a feeling of hopelessness and chaos.
Decreased Economy: The economies in Europe shrank a lot during the Great Depression. From 1929 to 1932, industrial production fell by around 40%. This made life harder for many people.
Move Toward Authoritarianism: As people faced economic troubles, many countries saw a rise in strict governments. For example, the Nazi Party, led by Adolf Hitler, gained a lot of followers. By 1933, he became Chancellor of Germany. The votes for the Nazi Party jumped from 2.6% in 1928 to 37.3% in 1932, showing how the economy influenced politics.
Fascism in Italy: In Italy, Mussolini and his Fascist government got stronger during the 1920s and early 1930s by using the public's economic struggles to their advantage and pushing for extreme nationalism.
Decline of Traditional Parties: Older political parties had a tough time dealing with this crisis, leading to a split. In France, the Left, represented by the Popular Front, tried to bring together socialists and communists to fight against fascism but often found it hard to agree on policies.
Rise of Extreme Movements: The tough economy also helped extreme political groups grow on both the far-right and far-left. In Spain, the Spanish Civil War (1936-1939) showed how divided the country was because of economic difficulties, with different groups fighting for power.
Move Toward Isolationism: Many countries focused more on their own problems instead of working together internationally. The tough economy made countries like Britain and France less willing to be involved with other nations. This led to fewer actions taken against aggressive countries like Nazi Germany.
Increased Protectionism: Countries started making rules to protect their own businesses, which hurt international relations. This breakup of financial cooperation caused problems for the world economy that had been set up after World War I.
To sum up, the Great Depression changed politics in Europe a lot. It led to the rise of strict governments, division of traditional parties, and new patterns in international relationships. Economic hardships changed political beliefs and set the stage for the fights that would come during World War II. These changes show how closely linked economic issues are to political stability in Europe during this time, creating a period full of upheaval and change.
The Great Depression started with the Wall Street Crash in 1929 and had huge effects on Europe. The economic struggles changed politics all over the continent. It impacted governments, ideas, and how power was shared.
High Unemployment: The Great Depression caused many people to lose their jobs. For example, in Germany, the number of unemployed people jumped from 1.3 million in 1929 to 6 million by 1932. That was about 30% of all workers! This created a feeling of hopelessness and chaos.
Decreased Economy: The economies in Europe shrank a lot during the Great Depression. From 1929 to 1932, industrial production fell by around 40%. This made life harder for many people.
Move Toward Authoritarianism: As people faced economic troubles, many countries saw a rise in strict governments. For example, the Nazi Party, led by Adolf Hitler, gained a lot of followers. By 1933, he became Chancellor of Germany. The votes for the Nazi Party jumped from 2.6% in 1928 to 37.3% in 1932, showing how the economy influenced politics.
Fascism in Italy: In Italy, Mussolini and his Fascist government got stronger during the 1920s and early 1930s by using the public's economic struggles to their advantage and pushing for extreme nationalism.
Decline of Traditional Parties: Older political parties had a tough time dealing with this crisis, leading to a split. In France, the Left, represented by the Popular Front, tried to bring together socialists and communists to fight against fascism but often found it hard to agree on policies.
Rise of Extreme Movements: The tough economy also helped extreme political groups grow on both the far-right and far-left. In Spain, the Spanish Civil War (1936-1939) showed how divided the country was because of economic difficulties, with different groups fighting for power.
Move Toward Isolationism: Many countries focused more on their own problems instead of working together internationally. The tough economy made countries like Britain and France less willing to be involved with other nations. This led to fewer actions taken against aggressive countries like Nazi Germany.
Increased Protectionism: Countries started making rules to protect their own businesses, which hurt international relations. This breakup of financial cooperation caused problems for the world economy that had been set up after World War I.
To sum up, the Great Depression changed politics in Europe a lot. It led to the rise of strict governments, division of traditional parties, and new patterns in international relationships. Economic hardships changed political beliefs and set the stage for the fights that would come during World War II. These changes show how closely linked economic issues are to political stability in Europe during this time, creating a period full of upheaval and change.