Kaiserreich: 5 social developments Flashcards
what percentage of Germans lived rurally vs in urban areas?
1871 - 63.9% rural 36.1% urban
1910 - 40% rural 60% urban
who were the elites?
the top of German society
consisted of the ‘old’ landed aristocracy
core was Prussian Junkers, many of whom were military officers
landed elite who made their fortune in industry and manufacturing e.g. Krupps
didn’t command the same social status as landed aristocracy however extremely powerful
lived in spacious homes/country estates run by servants
actively involved in politics
who were the upper middle class?
industrial managers/highly-skilled experts in new industry and educated professionals such as doctors and lawyers
bought themselves comfortable houses and paid for their children’s education potentially a few servants also
often involved in Lander politics or local town government and supporters of the church
who were the Mittelstand?
white collar workers - clerks, small businessmen, shopkeepers and minor officials
not substantially wealthier than some of their workers but proud of their position
held values similar to those above them
aspirational - wanted education for their children
tended towards conservativism in politics perhaps hoping for a position as a local councillor
who were the working class?
urban working class was very divided
top - highly skilled workers, head butlers of elite households
middle - semi-skilled workers e.g. coal workers
bottom - unskilled workers most vulnerable to economic fluctuations and lay-offs
described by Marxists as Lumpenproletariat as they were largely apolitical and uninterested in revolutionary advancement
who were the peasants?
worked in the countryside
status varied between substantial peasant proprietors who employed others and landless labourers who life was extremely precarious travelling across farms searching for seasonal work
despite their lifestyle held similar conservative views to the Junkers
victims of industrial change
growing population and dividing of estates between sons forced numbers to leave the land
what was the life of women within the upper ranks of society?
leisurely life - charitable work if there was sufficient income to leave the household and children to servants
one step down may be more directly involved in running the house but still entirely dependent on their husbands income and status
lower middling ranks seized opportunities presented by office work (number of women in this class working remained low)
what was the life of women within the working and peasant classes?
far more likely to be manual labourers themselves
urban dwellers traditionally performed piece-work in their homes to make goods for textile trades
industrial change led to new outlets and women got jobs in larger factories - led to ‘horror stories’ about spread of prostitution and growing numbers of illegitimate children
peasant women tilled the fields alongside men
in the 1890s, intellectuals began questioning the position of women, how so?
women had no vote and their legal status was severely restricted
Bund Deutscher Frauenvereine (est.1894) was an umbrella organisation campaigning for women’s rights and increased educational opportunities
August Bebel wrote tracts on female equality and the SPD campaigned (unsuccessfully) for the women’s vote
what was the culture of elitism?
encouraged
Bismarck was a Junker and other Junkers and elites shared a common interest in building up the new united Germany and extending their own power and wealth
elites cooperated in the ‘alliance of steel and rye’
exerted influence through politics and various pressure groups
how were the military part of an elite culture?
Prussian officer corps and the military assumed a central role in the Second Reich as Prussian military played a role in the wars of unification
troops took a personal oath to the Kaiser rather than the state
higher ranks of the army were Junkers
Zabern Affair showed how military could override civilian authority
by 1914 army was 4 million men (8x the size in 1890) expenditure reached £60 million in 1913-14
1914 Germany was a state of soldiers - universal military service - military ranks more respectable than civilian titles
what was the Zabern Affair?
Zabern, a town in Alsace, was garrisoned by German soldiers with help of local Alsatian recruits
a German solider called some of the Alsatians ‘Wackes’ meaning ‘square heads’ and was duly punished with several days confinement in military prison
locals heard of the incident and demonstrated against German arrogance
German soldiers ordered to disperse a demonstration in November 1913 and charged wildly at the crowds
15 people arrested including the president, two judges and the State Attorney of the Zabern Supreme Court
despite the outraged liberal press, Wilhelm II condoned the military action
how did real wages change from 1895 to 1913?
25% increase
employment high as well
what were some of Bismarck’s ground-breaking measures through state socialism?
- medical insurance may 1883
- accident insurance 1884
- old-age pensions 1889
measures were extended over the next 30 years
what social measures did Caprivi and Minister for Internal Affairs under Bulow, Posadowsky implement?
- recognition of trade unions
- changes to employment laws - reduction of women’s max working hours to 11, guaranteed minimum wage, prohibition on Sunday employment, restrictions on child employment
- more progressive income tax
- an extension to the period for which workers could claim accident insurance 1900
- extension to health insurance 1903
