interwar democracy info essays

interwar democracy info essays 1. World War I had ravaged France. 900 000 buildings, 200 coal mines, and 34 iron mines had been damaged or destroyed, 85 percent of the arable land had been devastated, and 94 percent of the cattle had disappeared. The franc had lost about 72 percent of its purchasing power. Frances population decreases from about 39 to 37 million from 1911 to 1921, with a loss of 11 percent in the number of males between the ages of 15 and 50. 2. France attempted to rebuild its economy by forcing reparation payments from Germany and by allowing the Nation Union to govern the country from 1926-29. This strengthened the franc, improved the tax system and raised the general economic position of the nation. 3. Instability caused by the profusion of political parties permitted under the highly democratic form of government plagued France throughout the 1920s and 1930s. Conflicting groups fragmented the French legislature. France had 27 short-lived cabinets between 1918 and January 1933, while England had a mere 7. 4. From 1919-1924, the Bloc National governed France under Premier Raymond Poincar. 5. In 1923, the French premier sent French troops into the Ruhr in an effort to force payments from Germany. 6. France was governed under the Left Block, a coalition of Socialists and other left-wing parties, from 1924-1926, under Premier Poincar. It was not able to solve Frances economic problems. 7. France was governed under the National Union, a coalition of right-center parties, from 1926-1929, under Premier Poincar. This government was able to solve the nations economic problems. 8. From 1931-1935, Frances governments rose and fell with surprising regularity. Right-wing groups sought to gain control of the government during this time of economic collapse. 9. The Popular Front-a coalition of Radical Socialists, Socialists, Communists, and others-was led b ...