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Loose cannons: war veterans and the erosion of democracy in Weimar Germany

Loose cannons: war veterans and the erosion of democracy in Weimar Germany

497/2020 Christoph Koenig
working papers, economic history

497/2020 Christoph Koenig

I study the adverse political effects of WW1 in Weimar Germany. Using novel data on WW1 veterans and an election panel from 1893-1933, I show that former soldiers are associated with a sizeable, persistent and potentially momentous shift in political preferences from left to right. Contrary to historical accounts, this shift cannot be explained by exposure to violence or other polarising post-war events. Rather, I provide suggestive evidence that war participation made veterans highly receptive to Red Menace fears of a Socialist revolution. This alienated veterans from left-wing parties and drove the majority towards inclusive, right-wing parties using anti-left platforms.

Economic History