Government and opposition (1888-1914)

Question 1

What type of person was Kaiser Wilhelm II?

Answer 1

• full of energy
• ambitious
• sensitive to criticism
• wanted to wield ultimate power
• did not delegate

Question 2

How many chancellors did Wilhelm II have?

Answer 2

5

Question 3

What is the order of his chancellors?

Answer 3

1- Bismarck
2- Caprivi
3- Hohenlohe
4- Bulow
5- Hollweg

Question 4

How long did Caprivi serve as chancellor for?

Answer 4

1890-1894

Question 5

What type of person was Caprivi?

Answer 5

a military figure

Question 6

What did Caprivi do first?

Answer 6

reversal Bismarck policies: - end of anti-socialist laws
- reduction in tariffs
- recognition of unions

Question 7

Who was Caprivi popular with?

Answer 7

working classes, socialists, zentrum, liberals, and industrialists

Question 8

What type of people opposed Caprivi?

Answer 8

conservatives, Prussian landowners

Question 9

What impact did Caprivi have on the military budget?

Answer 9

agreed to have it reviewed every 5 years rather than every 7

Question 10

Why did Caprivi resign?

Answer 10

found the Kaiser hard to work with

Question 11

How long did Hohenlohe serve as chancellor for?

Answer 11

1894-1900

Question 12

What type of chancellor was Hohenlohe?

Answer 12

a figurehead - “straw doll”

Question 13

Why was Hohenlohe selected?

Answer 13

served as a no political threat and let the Kaiser have control

Question 14

When did Bulow serve as chancellor for?

Answer 14

1900-1909

Question 15

What did Bulow do as chancellor?

Answer 15

abandoned aggressive anti-socialism and introduced social reforms for the working class

Question 16

When did Hollweg serve as chancellor?

Answer 16

1909-1917

Question 17

What did Hollweg control?

Answer 17

economic issues

Question 18

What did the Kaiser control with Hollweg?

Answer 18

military and foreign policy

Question 19

What was Hollweg’s relationship like with the Reichstag?

Answer 19

clashed constantly

Question 20

What was the role of the Reichstag?

Answer 20

to approve or reject any law - could not amend or introduce new legislation

Question 21

How did the Kaiser and the Reichstag clash over his powers?

Answer 21

they viewed the Kaiser’s autocratic powers very differently

Question 22

How did the Kaiser’s militant focus impact his reputation amongst the people?

Answer 22

it increased the feeling that his government did not represent the wishes of the people

Question 23

How is the period of 1890-1914 important for politics?

Answer 23

a huge increase in political activity

Question 24

What type of activity was going on in politics?

Answer 24

political parties, pressure groups, and unions

Question 25

What is this period often described as?

Answer 25

the period where the masses began to make their voices heard

Question 26

What happened to Bismarckian politics?

Answer 26

disappeared

Question 27

What did the left wing look like during this time?

Answer 27

• by 1914 Germany had the largest socialist party in Europe
• lapsing of anti-socialist laws boosted SPD membership
• industrialisation and urbanisation encouraged the growth of unions

Question 28

What did the centre parties look like during this period?

Answer 28

• Zentrum/liberals
• represented a mixture of classes

Question 29

What did the right wing look like at this time?

Answer 29

supported by the Kaiser