To what extent was the German empire liberal between 1870 - 1890?

Question 1

The creation of a united German state (liberal)

Answer 1

• Constitution = Federal
• Liberals wanted a new nation state and to some extent, they got that.
• New national currency, national weights and measures, and custom barriers were eliminated
• Businesses were supported by German railways and new German business laws

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Question 2

Perspectives on a united German state

Answer 2

see

Question 3

Politics (liberal)?

Answer 3

New Constitution:

• Was relatively liberal –> provided for a bicameral parliament
• Universal suffrage for men –> all men over 25 years
• Further evidence for this can be seen in:

The existence of national political parties + A Reichstag in which important policies were discussed + voting by deputies on non-military elements of the federal budget

Question 4

Politics (conservative)

Answer 4

Bundesrat had 43 seats, in which Prussia had 17 of them

The emperor was Prussian –> King Wilhelm I

The army was mostly led by Prussian generals –> Helmuth von Moltke and Albrecht von Roon

Reichstag deputies could speak freely but the restriction on the military budget and the state’s heavy reliance on indirect taxes meant they had little financial control

1862 - 1866 Bismarck funded military reforms without consulting the Reichstag

Reichstag was unable to bring down gov by voting against them, and there was no government party

AJP Taylor - “The Bismarckian Reich was a dictatorship imposed on the conflicting forces, not an agreement between them”