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Bismark Flashcards

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1
Q

What was the Kaiser’s role?

A

Appointed/dismissed government
Dissolve Reichstag
Foreign policy and armed forces
Interpret the constitution

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2
Q

Role of the Reichstag?

A 
Controlled the budget
Elected by male suffrage
Agree/reject proposed laws
Couldn't remove Kaiser or government
Elected every 5 years (unless dissolved)
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3
Q

Role of the Government?

A

Appointed/dismissed by Kaiser
Proposed new laws to Reichstag
Not dependent on Reichstag & could ignore them
Chaired sessions of the Bundesrat

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4
Q

Role of the Bundesrat?

A

58 members nominated by Lander (states assemblies)
17 from Prussia
6 from Bavaria
1 from each smaller state
Could veto legislation from Reichstag with only 14 votes
Rubber-stamped the Chancellor’s policies

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5
Q

Role of Electorate?

A

Men over 25 could vote in Reichstag elections
Voted for local state assemblies
Written constitution but not statement of individual rights

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6
Q

What political parties were there?

A

National Liberals = protestant middle class, backed Bismark until 1878
Centre Party = catholic party
SAPD = socialist worker’s party
German Conservative Party = Prussian landowners, supported Bismark after 1878

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7
Q

When was Germany created?

A

1871

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8
Q

How much of the population was Catholic?

A

33%

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9
Q

How did the new constitution solve divisions over new power dynamics under one Kaiser (Prussian King)?

A

Each of the 22 royal rulers were given substantial powers
Each German sovereigns were ‘equal’, but Kaiser controlled military
Constitution integrated the royal families of German federation under Kaiser

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10
Q

How did the new constitution solve divisions in the government?

A

Reichstag was established

All votes for Reichstag were equal

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11
Q

How did the new constitution solve divisions with unity?

A

New single German currency (the mark) created and standardised measurements and weights.
National legal system, national civil service both introduced and German railway system.
German flag was created in 1892

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12
Q

How did the new constitution solve divisions surrounding the army?

A

Army made up of 4 separate armies: Prussia, Bavaria, Saxony and Wuttemberg.
Each army had allegiance to their king of state unless in war.
Prussian military elite controlled the armies.

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13
Q

Powers of the Lander parliaments

A

All 25 states had constitutions.
Controlled education, taxation, transport, policing and health.
Southern states had deals with Bismark, for privileges.
Power centred in Bundesrat.
Power to veto Reichstag.

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14
Q

Dominance of the Kaiser & Prussia

A

Southern states asked to join northern states in 1866.
Prussia had full control over Lander.
Constitution set up to always benefit Prussia.
14 delegates from Prussia were in parliament.
Prussian king always Kaiser

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15
Q

Why did Bismark allow democracy?

A

Because he was worried of liberal influences that might arise from not allowing any form of democracy.

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16
Q

How did Bismark limit the power of the Reichstag?

A

Members wouldn’t receive payment, difficult for lower classes to run.
Couldn’t initiate legislation.
Allowed Bundesrat to veto Reichstag legislation.
Kaiser could dissolve Reichstag and call for new elections.

17
Q

What potential powers did the Reichstag have?

A

Bismark needed the Reichstag to pass his new laws, so he often made concessions.
Control over the budget.
Debates were heavily recorded in the press, so government could be challenged by the public.
Bismark needed to work with Reichstag to get support.

18
Q

What was the importance of the army in Germany?

A

Made up of 4 states: Prussia, Bavaria, Saxony and Wurttemberg.
Prussian generals had large influence.
Conscription for all men for 2-3 years.
Army was special for many Germans.
Army was independent from Reichstag. Had little time for liberals.
Concerned about dealing with internal issues.

19
Q

How did the Reichstag control the army budget?

A

1867, Bismark & National Liberals agreed on fixed budget until 1872.
During Franco-Prussian war, the budget was extended until 1874.
1874- any army over 40,000 would be financed by state.
80% of all federal expenditure was spent on the army.
Military budget was fixed for 7 years at a time.

20
Q

What percent of population did workers make up?

A

45%

21
Q

Who were the Socialist Worker’s Party (SADP)

A

Represented workers
SAPD formed 1875
7% of vote during 1870s
Banned in 1878

22
Q

Who were the German Conservative Party (DKP)

A 
Represented the Junkers
Disliked unification
Backed Bismark after 1878
23% of vote in 1871
26.6% in 1878
23
Q

Who were the Catholic Party (Z)

A

Represented Catholic interests
Support in south
Gained support from national groups throughout 1870s
18.6% (1871) - 23.1% (1878)

24
Q

Who were the German People’s Party (DVP)

A

Opposed united Germany

Based in south

25
Q

Who were the National Liberal Party

A 
Represented middle class
Supported a German empire and formed because they supported Bismark
Based in north
Backed Bismark until 1878
30% (1871) - 23% (1878)
26
Q

Why did Bismark work with the National Liberals?

A

Supported his idea for a united Germany.
Most popular party in the Reichstag
Had free trade policies and benefit economy
They both feared the Centre party

27
Q

Bismark’s work with the National Liberals

A 
ALL ABOUT ECONOMY- Bismark's goal
Lots of legislation on free trade
Movement restrictions removed
Standard legal system
Laws restricting the charging of interest on loans removed
Reichsmark legal currency
Measurements standardised
Import duties removed
28
Q

Why did Bismark break with the National Liberals?

A

Bismark refused to increase the Reichstag’s parliamentary power
He decided to split the NL and work with more right wing members. Did this following the economic crash in 1873, and introduced a tariff to protect German farmers.
This was popular and patriotic and gave Z party more support. NL’s vote slumped.
Tariff bill 1879 split the NL party. August 1880, split into Conservative National Liberal Party and the Liberal Union.

29
Q

Consequences of Bismark’s split with National Liberals

A

He achieved his goal of splitting them and the NL became more conservative.
HOWEVER Z party now largest in Reichstag, and Bismark opposed the Catholics, making Reichstag harder to manage.
The split halved their vote and led to coalition between NL and DKP impossible. The left leaning liberals won support in Reichstag and won 21% of vote in 1881.
Two biggest parties were against Bismark & weakened his control.

30
Q

What was the Kulturkampf?

A

Initially, it was to persuade church to remove support for Z party, it was refused.
Began by laws allowing inspection of catholic schools & banning jesuit.
1873, Prussia May Laws. control of catholic churches, power over priests.
Bread basket law withdrew financial support from priests.
1879- 1,800 priests expelled, 16 million reichsmarks of church land seized.

31
Q

How successful was the Kulturkampf?

A

Failed to achieve goals, instead encouraged catholic separation from the state and culture. Centre party gained votes from the divided classes, by 1878, they had the same amount of the vote as the National Liberals.

32
Q

Why did the Kulturkampf end?

A

Ended by 1879 as it was no longer useful for Bismark because he needed support from Z party. New pope was willing to compromise with Germany. Prussia didn’t support the attacks, the kaiser actually supported the church.

33
Q

What were the limitations to Germany’s unity?

A

No national flag or anthem
National holiday celebrating defeat of France (Sedantag), but south wasn’t involved with that so they didn’t like celebrating it.
Socialist politicians refused to recognise the holiday as a celebration of Prussian militarism.

34
Q

What were the focuses on German nationalism?

A

Reichdeutsche identity
School required to teach nationalism & encouraged to see 1871 as historical destiny
School curriculum teaching loyalty to kaiser
Attempts to ‘germanise’ minority groups.
Expelled foreign Poles and Jews & used education to enforce German identity on ethnic minority areas

35
Q

What was Bismark’s approach to encouraging unity via nationalism?

A

Used assassination attempts on Wilhelm I to declare socialism as a threat, and dissolved Reichstag as they refused to pass anti-socialist laws.
Oct 1878, he passed ‘the law for combating the criminal aims of social democracy’, 1,500 socialists were imprisoned.
United Germany as catholics and socialists were seen as threats, and banned SPD

36
Q

How successful was Bismark’s approach to encouraging unity via nationalism?

A

Successful to an extent via encouraging unity through nationalism.
HOWEVER, national identity was based on materialistic ideals and this form of nationalism became more aggressive overtime.

37
Q

What was Bismark’s foreign policy with France?

A

Newly aggressive France worried Bismark and they sided with the Catholics and pope. Also the French army had increased by 80,000. Bismark didn’t want to be seen a an aggressor so he made a press campaign suggesting French and Austrians were uniting against the Germans. World power leaders were all worried about a war and Bismark was pressured to back down by the kaiser.

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