Resumen de Einleitung: Aufstieg und Krise der parlamentarischen Demokratie im Europa der Zwischenkriegszeit
This article gives an overview about the background and the reasons for the decline of democratic-parliamentarian order in most European states during the interwar period. The following aspects are emphasized: The serious economic problems which developed into a fundamental economic crisis, the aggravation of internal political conflicts by the radicalization and fundamentalism of political ideas and ideologies, the fundamental crisis of liberalism and last, but not least, the turn of the bourgeoisie to conservativism and anti-parliamentarism caused by the fear of a social revolution. Finally, consideration is given to the popular thesis that a radicalixation of nationalism after the First World War could have been the most important burden for the democratic parliamentary order in the new states of Eastern Europe in particular.
