Economic Change Flashcards
In 1873, how many companies went bankrupt when the German economy collapsed?
150
How did German industrialists and Junkers react to the economic crash in the 1870s?
Increased protectionism
Which pressure group was formed in 1876 to introduce economic reform?
Central Association of German Industrialists
In 1876, on which goods did Bismarck want to introduce tariffs (but was blocked by the Reichstag)?
Pig iron
When was Bismarck’s protective tarriff law and who halped pass it through the Reichstag?
1879, two conservative parties and the Z party
Which party opposed tarriff reform because they represented the middle classes?
National Liberals
What was the alliance between industrialists and Junkers nicknamed?
Alliance of rye and steel
When the National Liberals split in 1878 over the tariff issue, which two parties were formed?
The Progressives and the National Liberal Party
When did Kaiser Wilhelm II come to power?
1888
By which year was Germany’s naval building in decline?
1895
What phrase was attributed to Kaiser Wilhelm’s desire for colonies?
To gain a ‘place in the sun’
Why was Kaiser Wilhelm II desperate to build a navy?
To rival Britain, to unite the middle classes behind him and to provide business for industrialists and Junkers
Who did Kaiser Wilhelm II appoint as secretary of state for the navy and in which year?
Admiral von Tirpitz in 1897
What pressure group did Admiral von Tirpitz create to pressure the Reichstag into supporting naval expansion?
The Navy League
In the 1898 Naval Bill, how many ships were to be built?
17
In the 1900 Naval Bill, how many ships were to be built?
36
Other than 1898 and 1900, when did the Kaiser pass more Naval Bills?
1906, 1908 and 1912
By 1914, what had happened to the size of the German navy?
Doubled in size (second only to Britain)
How did Britain, France and Russia react to Germany’s naval expansion?
Britain signed the Entente Cordiale in 1904 and the Triple Entente with France and Russia in 1907
Which party remained stubbornly opposed to the Kaiser’s military expansion?
The SPD which grew to become the largest party in the Reichstag by 1912
What was the winter of 1916-17 nicknamed due to a shortage of food suplies?
Turnip Winter
By 1931, what had wheat prices fallen to?
1/3 of pre-1920s prices
What percentage of the working population was involved in agriculture and forestry work by 1925?
30%
What percentage was the average income of farmers below the national average?
44%