Assignment # 9 "Politics as a Vocation"

                                                Politics as a Vocation

"The will to power, narrowly stated as the need for power or motive for power, is defined more accurately as the ability to overcome resistance in the achievement of values. The individuals who are able to overcome the most resistance are the Übermensch or “superman”. The idea that humans are motivated by the need to realize values became the core of Weber’s theory of human action, or what motivates human action. The concept of the übermensch became the foundation of Weber’s notion of charismatic domination".


     For the fear that power can make inidividuals act and behave in manner they would not do under normal circumstances makes me wonder. The desire to be in control of and over others is what drive most leaders and rulers however if they have values and morals to guide them they usually tend to do the best for society. What drives each individuals varies on their background and what they believe in. Control and power often tend to consume and destry those who seek it desperatly.    

                                                 Weimar Political Parties

•Catholic Center Party (Zentrum, or, Z)

The Catholic Central Party was primarily formed to protect the interest of German Catholics, it was very different from the other parties as it had not only catholic supporters but Jewish and Protestant members. Voting was allowed among the female members and so was there input in legislative delegation. The party was comprised of a left liberal trade union wing and a right conservative nationalist wing. The Catholic Center Party was also of great importance to the foundation of the Weimar Republic and its government. The leaders of the party wworked as chancellors for nine administrations and were included in each of the twenty one cabinets that ruled for fourteen years. 
•Communist Party (KPD)
The German Communist Party began during the revolution with initial members from the radical Sparticist group. Some of the members were also radical workers and radical intellectuals. The party was a leftist party that opposed the Weimar Republic, antisemitism, and exhibited hotility to the Social Democratic party. They preferred a dictatorship rule, but supported females and their leadership roles.
•German Democratic Party (DDP)
The German Democratic Party included a large population of middle class Protestants such as doctors, lawyers, and intellectuals. The DDP was a leftist party with Max Weber and Friedrich Naumann as prominent leaders. The party supported the Weimar Republic, resisted militarism, antisemitism and participated in the coalition of governments.

•German Nationalist People’s Party (DNVP)
Members of The German Nationalist People's Party were primarily Protestant landowners, industrialists, civil servants, and farmers followers land owners. Among the group were also white collar clerical workers and retail sales workers. The party upheld a militaristic view, resisted the republican government and opposed the terms of the Versailles treaty.

•German People’s Party (DVP)
Members of this party included small and middle size business owners, and some white collar workers. Members were also of Protestant faith and some Catholic. The party was a moderate nationalism and less antisemitism. Some of the members believe and supported the Weimar coalition government and helped Gustav Stresemann to remain party leader.  
•National Socialist German Workers Party (NSDAP-Nazi)
This was the German Workers party with Adolf Hitler in command. Members were primarily young men with military background who had difficulty adjusting to the German society and economic distress. Others mambers were low middle class citizens, shopkeppers, artisans, and some white collar workers. They opposed the Weimar Repulic, supported antisemitism and believed Jewish citizens were a threat to their society. The party was initiated through the Catholic church and gradully it gained the support and interest of females. In the end they had the largest group of female supporters with the largest legislative delegation.  
•Social Democratic Party (SPD)
Members from this party were primarily blue-collar trade union skilled workers and occasionaly some white-collar workers and intellectuals. Others include landless farm workers, working class women, and some Jews. The party believed in the reform of the Weimar society and hoped for a brighter future. They also strongly opposed antisemitism in society. Among group members the Protestant faith was more prominent than Catholic.