How far did Bismarck succeed in reducing divisions in the New Germany in the years 1871-79? Flashcards
What factors need to be discussed?
Army Rich Workers Political diplomacy and co-opertation with the national liberals Nationalism
What military organisation did Bismarck create?
Bismarck was the creator of a new German Army
What did the German army allow Bismarck to do?
power to exert more external and internal support
What did conscription allow Bismarck to do?
Make the German army a platform from which to install nationalism into young German Men
What suggests that the army did not create unity?
The new german army was actually made up of four separate armies, each swearing their allegiance to their own king.
What were the four separate armies of the German army?
Prussia, Bavaria, Saxony and Württemberg
How did the army further the idea of Prussian elitism?
all military elites were Prussians
How did Bismarck create unity between the monarchs of each state?
The kings of each state were given significant powers but were all integrated under the central power of the Kaiser.
When was Bismarck’s new german constitution?
16th April 1871
How often was the Reichstag elected under Bismarck?
Every five years
How did the new german constitution create unity within the Workers?
meant that all men over 25 had equal votes for elected reichstag and a national legal system was introduced
What did the national legal system mean?
All were subject other same laws across Germany
What was the voting qualifications for the Reichstag?
Men over 25 had equal votes for the Reichstag
When was Bismarck’s co-operation with the National Liberals?
1871-79
What was Bismarck’s co-operation with the national liberals a product of?
Mutual fear of the Catholic influence over the Z party
Assess Bismarck’s co-operation with the national liberals
Whilst this reduced the economic divisions in the country it was a product of political divisions and a mutual fear of the Catholic party’s influence over the centre party.
How did Bismarck’s co-operation with the national liberals end?
Bismarck’s work ultimately created divisions in a split the National Liberals. The division of the party also then split their voter base.
What positive thing for a united Germany does Bismarck’s co-operation with the national liberals demonstrate?
That Bismarck was willing to be pragmatic in order to achieve a more unified Germany
Bismarck’s 1871-79 co-operation with the National Liberals yielded 5 key things, what were they?
1) Standardised legal system
2) banking de regulation
3) Free trade between german states
4) single currency
5) Import duties on some metals removed
How did Bismarck’s 1871-79 co-operation with the national liberals give economic benefits and help unity?
This helped unity because it made it easier for inter state economic integration, breaking down economic barriers.
When did Bismarck’s co-operation with the national liberals provide the basis for growth?
The growth seen during the 1890s
In another aspect of diplomacy, what did Bismarck allow to exist?
The fact that Bismarck allowed smaller, representative parties to exist such as Nationalist and Socialist parties
How did Bismarck’s tolerance of small, representative parties help unity?
Encouraged smaller groups to feel represented in the new German Society
What kind of divides remained prevalent between states?
Social divides
What was the kaiser able to do that hindered unity distinctly?
proclaim imperial law which superseded state laws
How did the Kaiser’s ability to proclaim imperial law that would have the power to supersede state law create division?
it would create division between the states because it would mean that the smaller states were being dictated to by the dominant Prussia
What kind of provision did each state still retain?
Its own healthcare provision
What kind of identity did Bismarck aggressively try to foster?
Reichsdeutsche
What was the Reichsdeutsche identity?
a homogenous nation which shared the same nationalist values
What were schools forced to teach?
Nationalism
In order to create a Reichsdeutsche, what groups did Bismarck attempt to Germanise?
ethnic Poles, and French in Alsas-Lorraine
In order to create a Reichsdeutsche, what groups did Bismarck attempt to remove?
foreign Poles and Jews
Whilst the Reichsdeutsche may have helped unity to a degree, the fact that it had to be enforced may suggest what about how successful Bismarck was at reducing divisions?
It was having to mask deep divisions
When was anti-socialist measures introduced that prohibited socialist meetings in Germany?
October 1878
The fact that Bismarck was having to use force to stop socialists from meeting in October 1878 suggests what?
Deep divisions were being masked by imposed unity that would only address the divisions on a cosmetic level
What about the Reichsdeutsche suggests that it was having to mask deep divisions?
It had to be enforced
What was the name of the single currency that was introduced across Germany after Bismarck’s co-operation with the National Liberals 1871-1878?
Reichsmark
What is the perfect introduction to this?
Bismarck, arguably the architect of german unification, faced many challenges in regard to combating divisions and fostering a sense of national unity. The success of his efforts is more evident in some areas such as economic unity, but schismatic action surrounding the ‘kulturkampf” and elements of the army exposed some more tangible limitations to Bismarck’s success.
What is the Reichsdeutsche a symbol of?
proto-national consciousness
