Evaluation of the German Constitution

Question 1

What is a strength of the constitution?

Answer 1

German parties are not competing to rule the country but are more like pressure groups for certain interests and advance the concerns of their followers.

Question 2

What are strengths of the Reichstag?

-Power, laws, openness, suffrage

Answer 2

• More powerful than Bismark realised.
• Needed new laws passing and no bill could become law until the Reichstag passed it.
• Lot of open debate with the press reported and could embarrass the Chancellor.
• Universal male suffrage meant that the parties grew in size and Bismarck couldn’t ignore them.

Question 3

What are some weaknesses of the Constitution?

unity, chancellor, emperor, Prussia, quality

Answer 3

• Underdeveloped sense of unity despite a national currency (German Gold Mark).
• Chancellor more powerful than the elected Reichstag.
• Emperor controlled the army and Chancellor.
• Prussian dominance.
• Poor quality of Reichstag members meant that the Reichstag needed strong direction which created strong problems when no other leader was available.
• Prussia had 17 out of 58 seats.

Question 4

What were the weaknesses of the Reichstag?

Conservative, opportunity, Bismarck, politicians, respect, extreme left

Answer 4

Very conservative- Bismarck wanted political parties to stay in traditional hands like the Emperor.

• Constitution gave little opportunity for democracy.
• Bismarck only wanted to work with the Reichstag if they agreed with him. If not, he would dissolve the Reichstag and call for a free election.
• Reichstag politicians criticised for not exploiting their power.
• Most Germans were deeply respectful of authority (like military officers) which didn’t help balance out the power due to federal power.
• Extreme left didn’t expect the Reichstag to make much control of the government- the most they would do is have some influence over it.

Question 5

What did Bismarck do to ensure he had no rivals? What did this mean?

Answer 5

Ensured that other ministers were little more than cabinet clerks. This was nothing that resembled an imperial cabinet.

Question 6

Who did Bismarck rely on a lot?

Answer 6

Bismarck relied on his son Herbert who was secretary of state of the foreign office from 1886.

Question 7

What were limitations to Bismarck’s power?

Federal, Reichstag, health

Answer 7

• Germany was a federal state which reduced his influence,
• Reichstag a constraint.
• Poor health meant that he couldn’t always travel to Berlin which affected his decision making.

Question 8

What are contemporaries and recent historians’ view of Bismarck?

Answer 8

Contemporaries admire Bismarck where as recent historian are less impressed.

Question 9

How many seats did the National Liberals have in 1871 and in 1874?
How many seats did the Zentrum have in 1871 and in 1874?
How many seats did the German Conservative Party have in 1871 and in 1874?
What does the change in seats tell us about the attitude towards constitution?

Answer 9

NL: In 1871 they had 125 seats and in 1874 they had 155 seats/
Zentrum: In 1871 they had 63 seats and in 1874 they had 91 seats.
German Conservative Party: In 1871 they had 57 seats and in 1874 they had 22 seats.
This shows us Bismarck’s growing influence through the NL.