Chapter 3: Government and opposition 2

Question 1

When was Count von Caprivi chancellor?

Answer 1

1890-1894

Question 2

What were the main policies of Caprivi?

Answer 2

more moderate approach to socialism - “New course” for German politics
* ended the anti-socialist laws
* reduced tariffs
* furthered Bismarks work on social reform - recognition of trade unions and a reduction in working hours
* 1893 - reduced military service to 2 years and allows Reichstag to discuss budget every 5 (instead of 7 years)
* also improved the treatment of national minorities

Question 3

Why did Caprivi and the Kaiser start to disagree?

Answer 3

• Wilhelm decided to re-implement the anti-socialist bill after socialists make gains in the 1893 elections
• Caprivi resigns as he is tired of Wilhelm interferring

Question 4

What were the main policies of Hohenloe?

Answer 4

figurehead chancellor who posed no political threat
* tried to pass two anti-socialist bills - both were rejected by the Reichstag
* kaiser begins to work without the chancellor - Hohenloe resigns after a dispute over colonial policy

Question 4

When was Hohenlohe chancellor?

Answer 4

1894-1900

Question 5

What was Weltpolitik?

Answer 5

Wilhelm ll - expansionist foreign policy - led to an increased focus on nationalism and militarism
* colonial expansion - scramble for africa
* naval development - naval bills passed (1893 and 1900) which financed 38 battleships - aimed to build a force that could challenge the Britih navy - contributed to the arms race

Question 6

When was Bulow Chancellor?

Answer 6

1900-1909

Question 7

What were the main policies of Bulow?

Failures

Answer 7

aristocratic junker - tried hard to flatter the kaiser
* favoured colonial expansion
* wants to reduce peoples attraction to socialism by appealing to their patriotism
* 1902 -** new tariff laws** restores duties on agricultural products - increased revenue for the navy and pleased industrialists - BUT causes resentment among workers (higher food prices)
* extended accident and health insurance
* 1906 - Reichstag deputies now receive payment - lower and middle class men can enter the Reichstag
* BUT there is action against poles (he advocated for ethnic cleansing in 1887) and increased anti-semitism

fails to improve control of the Reichstag and can’t get approval for increased military spending

Question 8

What was the significance of the Hottentot election?

Answer 8

1907 - zentrum and SPD are critical of the governments imperial policies (scandal over the ongoing genocide in africa)
- campaign is held against these parties and they lose votes - does highlight that some change is happening in terms of attitudes towards German militarism

Question 9

What was the significance of the daily telegraph interview?

Answer 9

1908 - Kaiser gives an interview in which he critisises both the Germans and the British - relations with Britain grew worse (they viewed him as arrogant and unstable) and it is embarrasing for Germany -
* calls for the Kaisers abdication
* Bulow is blamed for this as he failed to stop the publication of the interview - later resigned

Question 10

What was the Eulenburg affair and why was it so damaging for the Kaisers reputation?

Answer 10

• some of the Kaisers friends were accused of homosexuality - Example: to destroy his rival Eulenburg (one of Wilhelm’s close friends), Holstein had contacted Maximilian Harden to inform him that Eulenburg was a homosexual Eulenburg had to retire from public life
• people begin making accusations to undermine their political opponents - between 1906 and 1907 6 military officers commited suicide after blackmail
• Wilhelm suffered a nervous breakdown

anti-homosexual action was mostly used during this period to get rid of opponents and achieve certain political goals

Question 11

When was Bethmann-Hollweg Chancellor?

Answer 11

1909-1917

Question 12

What were the main policies of Bethmann-Hollweg?

Answer 12

aristocratic conservative who lacks knowledge of foreign or military affairs - leaves this to the Kaiser, while he deals with the problematic budget
* 1911 - introduction of universal male suffrage

Question 13

What was the significance of the Zabern affair?

Answer 13

1913 - Kaiser declares his support for excessive military action in Zabern - military were extremely harsh against the Zabern citizens who were protesting their treatment
- made it appear as though Wilhelm let the military do as it pleased - government was too militaristic and did not represent the people

Question 14

What was the ideology of the left wing (trade unions)?

How much did trade union membership increase by between 1891 and 1913?

Answer 14

1890 - general federation of trade unions is founded by Carl Legien - campaigned for better working conditions and more pay

344,000 to 33, 024, 000

Question 15

What was the ideology of the Social democratic party?

Answer 15

• provided the working classes with a new sense of identity
• increasingly moderate - August Bebel developed a policy of gradual socialism - don’t want to appear unpatriotic
• some more revolutionary members - Karl Liebknecht and Rosa Luxemburg - this was negative as it led to critisism from other political parties

Question 16

What was the ideology of the centre party (left and right liberals) ?

Answer 16

Left liberals/progressives
- wanted social reform and to improve democratic powers
Right/National liberals
- more similar to the conservatives as they opposed socialism and wanted a more aggressive foreign policy

Question 17

What was the ideology of the Right wing?

German conservatives = Prussian Junkers and military officers
Free conservatives = Non-Prussian land owners and industial elites

Answer 17

• anti-democracy and anti-socialism
• supported the Kaiser
• supported by right wing pressure groups (Pan-german league, Naval league) - exert a lot of influence on policy making