3 Government And Opposition, 1888-1914 Flashcards

1
Q

Define narcissistic

A

Having an undue regard for oneself, showing excessive self-admiration

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
2
Q

What was Wilhelm II’s personality?

A

Full of energy and ambitions, whole changeable and unpredictable.

He was seen as Reisekaiser as he was always traveling in his yacht

Most comfortable around military

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
3
Q

What did Wilhelm II declare about the Reich? When?

A

May 1891

“There is only one man in charge of the Reich, and I will not tolerate any other”

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
4
Q

Who was chancellor 1890-1894?

A

General Georg Leo Count von Caprivi

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
5
Q

Why was he elected?

A

Wilhelm wanted a chancellor who was more conciliatory to socialism

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
6
Q

What was Caprivi’s ‘New course’ ?

A
  1. End to Anti-Socialist law
  2. More influence over policy making for ministers
  3. Reduction in tariffs
  4. Social reforms
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
7
Q

Who opposed the ‘new course’

A
  1. Conservative Prussian landowners

2. Camarillo (Circe of aristocrats)

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
8
Q

Who welcomed the ‘new course’

A
  1. Working class
  2. Socialists
  3. Industrialists
  4. Zentrum
  5. Liberals
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
9
Q

How did Caprivi change the Septinnial law?

A

1893 Army budget get will be discussed every 5 years by reichstag and they reichstag willl increase the army by 84,000.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
10
Q

When was the Schliffen Plan made? Why?

A

1892, kaiser feared they may have to go to war with France in the future.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
11
Q

What was the Caprivi and Kaiser relationship?

A

Caprivi found the kaiser difficult to work with

Kaiser forced his bill, to give both catholic’s and Protestants more control over education, to be withdrawn.

Kaiser wend directly against ‘new course’ when he decided Anti-Socialist Subversion Bill was needed after SPD did well in 1893 election

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
12
Q

Who was the chancellor in 1894-1900?

A

Prince Chlodwig zu Hohenlohe-Schillingsfürst

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
13
Q

Why was Hohenlohe-Schillingsfürst elected?

A

He posed no political threat to thoes who surrounded the kaiser. More of a figurehead chancellor

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
14
Q

Hohenlohe: What policies did Wilhelm II try to pass through others? Socialism

A

Hohenlohe: Two bills to curb socialism. 1894 Subversion Bill, 1899 Anti-Union Bill.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
15
Q

Hohenlohe: What were the result of policies Wilhelm II try to pass through others? Socialism

A

Hohenlohe socialism: Both thrown out by reichstag

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
15
Q

Hohenlohe: What policies did Wilhelm II try to pass through others? Prison

A

Minister of interior Posadowsky-Wehner: 1899, prison sentences attached to strike action harmful to ‘public security’.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
15
Q

Hohenlohe: What policies did Wilhelm II try to pass through others ? Colony

A

Weltpolitik: an expansionist foreign policy including colonial expansion and the development of the navy

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
15
Q

Hohenlohe: What were the result of policies Wilhelm II try to pass through others? Prison

A

Minister of interior: rejected by reichstag majority.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
15
Q

Hohenlohe: What were the result of policies Wilhelm II try to pass through others? Colony

A

Weltpolitik: kaiser ignored chancellor and focused domestic affairs on this.
Kaisers court circle believed it could unite Germans of different backgrounds, solving reichstag disputes

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
15
Q

Hohenlohe: What policies did Wilhelm II try to pass through others? Political parties

A

Sammlungspolitik continuation (concentration policy):

Uniting political parties in support of the state. They fostered nationalist sympathies in direct opposition to the working class.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
16
Q

Who supported the concentration policy?

A

Leagues (Right wing pressure groups) that emerged from the 1890’s. They lobbied ministers, sought reichstag influence and used the press and modern advertising to spread their views.

Lead by elites and supported by middle class (minimum peasantry)

Influence disproportionate to membership

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
17
Q

Name 6 leagues

A
  1. Pan-German League
  2. Agrarian League
  3. Industrialists’ League
  4. Navy League
  5. Imperial League
  6. Army League
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
18
Q

When was the League established? 1

A

1891

19
Q

When was the League established? 2

A

1893

20
Q

When was the League established? 3

A

1895

21
Q

When was the League established? 4

A

1898

22
Q

When was the League established? 5

A

1904

23
Q

When was the League established? 6

A

1912

24
Q

What were the Leagues membership stats? 1

A

c25,000 - mostly middle class

60 reichstag deputies by 1914

Anti-Semitic

25
Q

What were the Leagues membership stats? 2

A

c250,000

Over 330,000 by 1913

26
Q

Who were the Leagues members? 3

A

Manufacturing and export industries favouring high tariffs to promote exports

27
Q

What were the Leagues membership stats? 4

A

c500,000

28
Q

What were the Leagues membership stats? 5

A

c200,000

Supported by heavy industry

29
Q

What were the Leagues membership stats? 6

A

c300,000

500 branches by 1914

30
Q

What were the Leagues aims? 1

A
  1. Unite global ethnic Germans
  2. Acquire colonies (closely working with 1882 German Colonial League)
  3. Suppress socialism and democracy
31
Q

What were the Leagues aims? 2

A
  1. Protect agricultural interests

2. To lobby for tariff protection to help farmers

32
Q

What were the Leagues aims? 3

A
  1. Protect manufacturing interests

2. Promote exports

33
Q

What were the Leagues aims? 4

A
  1. Promote naval expansion
  2. Develop popular support for the navy
  3. Pressurise Reichstag to pass naval bills
  4. Promote colonial growth
34
Q

What were the Leagues aims? 5

A
  1. Curb socialist growth with propagandist campaigns

2. Promote conservative values

35
Q

What were the Leagues aims? 6

A
  1. Promote army expansion and economic parts supporting army expansion
  2. Pressurise Reichstag into passing army bills
36
Q

Why did Hohenlohe resign?

A

Kaiser dispute over colonial policy

37
Q

Who was the chancellor in 1900-1909?

A

Count Bernhard von Bülow

38
Q

Why was Bulow elected?

A

He was groomed for office by the kaiser inner circle

He went out of his way to flatter the kaiser, became the first Chancellor he really trusted

39
Q

What policies were passed during 1900-1909? Tariffs

A

Bulow: 1902 new tariff law. Restored duties on agriculture products and key manufacturers. (Abandons aggressive Summlungspolitik in exchange for this to gain favour)

40
Q

What was the result of policies passed during 1900-1909? Tariffs

A

Increased revenue for developing army (pleasing industrialists)

Appeased agrarian interests (falling short of AgLeague demands)

41
Q

What policies were passed during 1900-1909? Socialism

A

Minister of interior Posadowsky-Wehner: social reforms (developing social security from 1900-1903)

Extending (1900) accident and (1903) health insurance

Introducing new rules in 1901 for arbitration in industrial disputes

42
Q

What was the result of policies passed during 1900-1909? Socialism

A

Hoping to draw support from socialists

Socialists received the credit for this

This combined with tariffs improving food prices, increased SPD 1903 vote

43
Q

What policies were passed during 1900-1909? Colony

A

Weltpolitik: Navy Law 1900, funded a 17 year building programme for a sea fleet

Promotion of Wilhelm II to emperor

44
Q

What was the good result of policies passed during 1900-1909? Colony

A

Support from middle and upper class, ordinary people through patriotism and more jobs, Kaiser, majority of reichstag parties

NL, Conservatives, DFP, navy and agrarian League

45
Q

What was the bad result of policies passed during 1900-1909? Colony

A

Govt majority didn’t last

The budget went into a deficit. The national debt grew to 490 billion marks by 1913

Socialists and Z

46
Q

What policies were passed during 1900-1909? Finance

A

Bulow’s 1909 finance bill

47
Q

What was the result of policies passed during 1900-1909? Finance

A

Defeated by Conservatives, Z, DFP, and SPD

48
Q

What policies were passed during 1900-1909? Bloc

A

Bulow negotiated a new coalition: the Bulow Bloc

Made up of conservatives, members in agrarian league, NL, DFP

49
Q

What was the result of policies passed during 1900-1909? Bloc

A

Won 1907 election with 216 seats

It was hard to hold together and quickly fell apart

50
Q

Why did Bulow resign?

A

Series of scandals, Zabern Affair and the Daily Telegraph