ABSTRACT
The problem of socialist strategy under conditions of advanced and aggressive capitalism, as it showed itself in German Social Democracy, was that of how the long-term ideals of the movement were to be realised. As socialist strategy under conditions of advanced social classes and the complete transformation of society are at the root of the Marxist socialism to which the Social Democratic Party (SPD) had subscribed in its Erfurt programme, ideology and strategy are inevitably closely connected. The SPD recognised that tactical arrangements might at times be necessary if by such means the party’s position could be materially improved or genuine benefits achieved for the German working class. The SPD-led government, which was based on the distribution of parliamentary forces in the National Assembly, was the original Weimar coalition which could rely solely on those parties which positively identified with the ideals and concepts of the new constitution.
