1.1 Bismarcks' Germany Flashcards
How democratic was Germany in 1870?
. Prussia would always have the majority of seats
. Chancellor could ignore the Reichstag
. Emperor was always Prussian, had complete power
. Smaller states didn’t have a say
. Veto heavily favoured in Prussia with 17 seats
. Men >25 could vote
. Chancellor was elected
. Centralised government existed for the people
. Bundesrat members were elected in
. Diff levels of government
Bismarck as Imperial Chancellor
. After 1871, he was Prussian PM, Foreign Minister and Imperial Chancellor
. Brought about German unification
. Had influence and power over Wilhelm I
. Made sure secretaries of state didn’t confer with Kaiser without his permission
. His power had limits: Germany was a federal state, the Reichstag, his long absences and illness reduced his day to day control
The Reichstag
. Could censor the Chancellor, couldn’t secure dismissal
. Could be dismissed and new elections called
. Bismarck dissolved it when he disagreed with them
. Power held in hands of party with majority of seats
. Even left wing members didn’t expect to exert power
. Focus of national attention for many Germans
The Role of the Army
. Essentially Prussian
. Prussian was largest of 4 armies: Bavaria, Saxony, Wurttemberg, Prussian officers loyal to King/Emperor
. All men served 2-3yrs in army
. After 1871: army needs + virtues seen as most important
. Uniforms encouraged respect and obedience
. They dispersed demonstrations and revolutions
Emperor William I
. Became King of Prussia in 1861 . Became Emperor in 1871 . Left task of governing Germany to Bismarck . Conservative and popular . Appreciated Bismarck's ability
Prussia’s domination of Germany
. Emperor was King of Prussia and Minister President of Prussia was the German Chancellor
. 235/397 Reichstag deputies and 17/58 seats in Bundesrat were Prussian. Prussia could block laws
. 2/3 new Empire’s land was controlled by Prussia
. Prussian state parliament dominated by Junkers
Prussia’s lesser domination of Germany
. Most Germans loyal to Reich, not Prussia
. Wider interests of Reich had to be considered
. Identity of ‘old Prussia’ was diluted
. Prussian influence undermined by need to make concessions of the state
. Non-Prussians soon held important positions
How diff were states in newly unified Germany?
. Franco-Prussian was first genuinely German war - all states fought against one enemy
. Defeat of French created nationalistic pride
. But each state was v different
. 10% population wasn’t even German
. Economic and social divisions existed
. 26 states following unification
National Minority Parties
. Represented interests of minorities across the Reich
. Made up of Danes, Poles, and Alsations
The National Liberals
. Aimed to create a strong nation-state and encourage a liberal, constitutional state
. Made up of Protestant middle class
The Centre Party
. Defended the interests of the Catholic Church
. Supported by Catholics
The Social Democrat Party
. Fought for social reforms . Supported by the working class and trade unionists
The German Conservative Party
. Skeptical about unification of Germany
. Came to support Bismarck after 1878
. Supported by Prussian landowners
The Free Conservatives
. Offered Bismarck steady support
. Supported by landowners, industrialists, those with professional and commercial interests
The Progressives
. Opposed Bismarck’s pursuit of a powerful nation state at the expense of Liberal constitutional principles
. Supported by those opposed to Bismarck
Guelphs
. Supported the deposed King George
. Supported by Hanoverians
The New Reich
. Not united
. Each state had own traditions, powers over education, justice, agriculture, religious matters and local govn
. Over 60% population were Protestant, but Catholicism was strong in Alsace-Lorraine, in southwest Germany, in the Rhineland, and among the Poles
. 10% Reich population were non-German minorities: Poles, Danes, French
. Economic + social divisions between rich and poor, and the industrialising north and west vs predominantly rural south and east
Economic Development
. Alsace-Lorraine had Europe’s largest deposits of iron ore, production increased rapidly after 1871
. Huge French indemnity payments created a boom
. The boom assisted German banks, which provided capital for new railways and industries eg electricity
. 1871-1890: coal production soared, steel production increased by 700%, railways doubled in size
German Society
. Remained traditional along class lines
. Mobility was within class rather than between classes
. Higher levels of civil service + army were the nobility
. Most direct threat to nobility’s supremacy from wealthy industrialists who tried to copy rather than overtake nobles
. Most Germans were agricultural/industrial workers
. Life was hard for farmers: drift to the cities
Growing Industry
. Swelled ranks of German industrial working class
. 1871: 5% Germans lived in urban areas
. By 1900: nearly 20% did
. Political consequences:
- many proletariat were attracted to socialism
- peasants, declining in no. preferred conservatism
