How far did the political changes in Germany between October 1918 and May 1919 amount to a revolution?
Between October 1918 and May 1919 there was a huge political change in Germany, Germany went from being an autocracy state to a democratic republic. The factors that contributed to this were; the collapse of the 2nd Reich, the Spartacist revolt and the October Reforms. These changes contributed, along with other factors, not linked to the political changes, towards the revolution that took place in Germany. These changes in Germany were called a revolution as the government was overthrown by force, in favour of a new system, resulting in extreme changes in the way the country lived.
Prior to October 1918, Kaiser Wilhelm II was the Emperor of Germany which gave him great power. He controlled foreign policy and the armed forces as well as being able to summon and dismiss members of the Reichstag. Consequently, Kaiser Wilhelm II had the greatest influence over every aspect of Germany life.
The Second Reich was a German Empire formed by Bismark in 1871. This empire was created after Austria was expelled from the German confederation and the North German confederation was set up. The final factor that caused this formation was the defeat of France by Prussia bringing all the South German states into a united Germany. The Second Reich was thus a product of great military success. It included all German states, excluding Austria, in a new federal state. Unfortunately, the Second Reich lasted only 47 years after the defeat of Germany in World War I. A number of components contributed to the victory over Germany both on the front line and at home. Problems on the front line began prior to October of 1918 but eventually led to the defeat of Germany. These problems included; starving troops that were packed in tight, system breakdowns resulting in the navy being deployed to