1890-1914 - Economy Flashcards
What Geographical reasons were there for the German economic growth?
Flat terrain conducive to railway building
Large navigable rivers for barges capable of transporting heavy raw materials such as iron ore to factories.
What new industries developed?
Electrical engineering, chemicals, machinery and the motor car industry.
How did Germany’s highly developed education improve economic growth?
Germany’s elementary education was deemed the best in the world
Higher education made increasing provisions for the development of technical skills
Enrolment in universities doubled in the period 1890-1914
How did the German economy compare to other countries?
Between 1890 and 1914, Germany was alongside Britain and the USA as one of the world’s leading industrial nations.
By how much did Germany’s population grow?
50 million in 1890 to 67 million by 1914
How did the number of Germans living in towns change?
By 1914, more than 60% of Germans lived in towns compared to just 40% in 1890
What happened to the transport network in Germany?
Transport network grew by 50% in the period 1890 to 1913.
What happened to the electrical industry?
Grew most quickly in the Rhine area, the production of electrical energy in this area increased by 150% between 1901 and 1915.
By 1913, Germany controlled half the world’s trade in electricals
By how much did agricultural fertilisers grow?
In 1878, 1m tonnes of sulphuric acid were being produced in the whole world, by 1907, Germany alone was producing 1.4m tonnes
What was significant about Germany’s chemical dye production?
By 1914, Germany was producing more than three quarters of the world’s chemical dyes and was leading the way in pharmaceuticals.
How did the number of cartels change?
70 in 1887 to 300 in 1900 to 600 in 1911
What underlying weakness was there with the German economy?
Germany’s prosperity rested on trade - trade gap by 1900 - too reliant on trade?
What made up the trade gap in 1900?
Made up for by ‘invisibles’ such as returns on foreign investments
