The Role of the First World War in the Development of Authoritarian Regimes
The First World War brought much destruction to Europe, is a factor in the development of authoritarian regimes. The destruction undid much of the progress made by liberalism, proving the idea to be impossible in the changing times. This led to some believing that control and discipline from above is the best way to bring order and stability. This method of government brought national well-being much better than cumbersome democracies. This was most evidently seen in post-WW1 Germany and Italy, where there were little to none democratic traditions. This allowed parties such as the German Nationalist Socialist Party to take power. At the end of the war,Woodrow Wilson's policy of self-determination did not specify that new governments should be a democracy, only that countries should be free to govern themselves. The economic crises of the 1920s-1930s also helped the rise of authoritarian regimes in Germany and Italy, as many believed that order and prosperity could no longer be achieved through democracy. This culminated in the rise of many authoritarian regimes between the wars, notably Fascist Italy, Nazi Germany and Hirohito's Japan.