'The political instability of the Weimar Republic in the years 1919 to 1923 was largely the result of flaws in the constitution.' Explain why you agree or disagree with this interpretation of events.

The parliament system introduced in Germany suffered from many limitations and weaknesses. The most serious among them was the system of proportional representation. Though on paper this system seems acceptable as it ensures that all party get fair representation. But unfortunately, Germany at that time had many political parties and this system ensured that no single party could ever win an overall majority. The formation of coalition governments was inevitable. Thus, no party can carry out its desired programs unhindered. 
Apart from the above-discussed problem, there were many factors responsible for the instability of Weimer Republic. The German people had more faith in army and officer class. This lack of trust in politicians combined in the lack of experience in running constitutional institutions resulted in further destabilizing the Weimer Republic. Also, the communist and nationalist didn’t believe in democracy. They tried to seize power by force in 1919 and 1920 respectively. Thus, we can say that tough constitutional limitations played its role in destabilizing but they were not the sole reasons.

Topics: GS-I: World Wars, Cold War and Other Major Events of 20th Century