Kaiserreich: 2 government and opposition, 1871-1888 Flashcards
(44 cards)
how did Bismarck describe Wilhelm I and how did Bismarck act in response?
‘old-fashioned, courteous and a genuine Prussian officer’
throw tantrums, tears, hysterical outbursts and frequent threats of resignation
how did Bismarck rule?
through force of personality
he never had a large single party backing
he loathed working with the Reichstag however understood the importance in ‘carrying the country’
just as his personality was full of contradictions so did his policies
what were the results of the 1871 election?
sizeable majority of NL and imperial liberals both of whom shared Bismarck’s belief of German unity
Bismarck could also count on support of the Free Conservatives (big landowners and industrialists)
moving towards unification, the Reichstag agreed over 100 new laws - what are some examples?
- 1876 establishment of the Reichsbank - controlled the Mark - stable as backed by gold
- law for commerce and abolition of tariffs on internal trade between Lander
- single system of weights and measures
- national postal and telegraph system
- national penal code in 1872 though single civil law not completed until 1900 and states retained independent control over their police forces
- single court system
- support for extension of the railway network
what was kulturkampf?
‘struggle for culture’ which was Bismarck and the Liberals fight against the power of the Catholic church
what % of the population were Catholic?
37 - particularly strong in the southern German states and the Rhineland
Catholic church was financially independent possessing schools and it had political influence through Zentrum
why did Bismarck fear Zentrum?
second largest Reichstag party with 63 deputies
feared they might oppose his measures to strengthen and unify the state
hoped attacking the Catholics may win support from the Protestants
why were the Liberals anti Catholics?
1864 Syllabus of Errors, the Pope declared the church to be opposed to liberalism, nationalism and ‘recent civilisations’
stood in direct opposition to Liberal views of reformation
what did the Doctrine of Papal Infallibility state?
stated on matters of morality and faith the Pope could do no wrong
what did Bismarck’s kulturkampf entail?
- 1871 Zentrum portrayed as home of the Reichsfiende
- Catholic section of the Prussian Ministry of Religion and Education abolished
- clergy forbidden from any mention of politics whilst preaching
- May 1872 diplomatic relations with the Vatican ended
- Jesuits forbidden from preaching and entering Prussian schools
when were the May Laws introduced and by whom?
May 1873 by Adalbert Falk
laws applied to only Prussia
what did the May Laws consist of?
- Catholic education came under state supervision
- only those who studied in Germany and passed a state exam could become priests
- existing priests required to retrain
- appointment of clergy made by state
- civil marriage ceremony made compulsory
- all Catholic religious orders were dissolved
- state financial aid to the Catholic church ended
- Prussian Catholics deprived of certain legal and civil rights
what other actions were made against the Catholic church?
- 1874 - responsibility for the registration of births, marriages and deaths in Prussia was removed from the church and taken over by the state
- all states given the right to restrict the freedom of movement of the clergy and any banned priest caught preaching could be placed under house arrest or expelled from Germany
- 1875 - Prussian gov given the power to suspend subsidies to dioceses where the clergy were resisting the new laws
how did the Pope react to Bismarck’s changes?
ordered all German bishops to disobey the anti-Catholic laws but Bismarck forbade the publication of the letter
by 1876 all the Catholic bishops of Prussia and all Polish bishops had either been imprisoned or exiled
1400 out of the 4600 priests were left
1873 Pope Pius IX wrote to the Kaiser complaining, adding that anyone who had been baptised should only obey the Pope
Wilhelm showed Bismarck more support as a result
was Bismarck’s attempt at repressing the Catholic Church successful?
- Catholic Church continued to thrive
- persecution created martyrs and encouraged Catholics to rally
- under new Zentrum leader Ludwig Windhorst organised ‘national resistance tours’ attacking the kulturkampf
1874 election Zentrum won 91 seats putting them in a position to threaten Bismarck’s ability to win a majority
Catholic barrel maker tried to assassinate Bismarck in 1874
Protestants began to express unease with Bismark’s policies and Jews were concerned there was increased anti-Semitism
why did Bismarck end the kulturkampf in 1878?
- favoured a closer alliance with Catholic Austria
- agricultural and industrial depressions of the 1870s made Bismarck anxious to abandon the liberal policy of free trade since this would lose the backing of the NLs and he would need Zentrum’s support
- Bismarck’s allies the Protestants had grown increasingly opposed to kulturkampf
- believed socialism posed a greater threat
death of Pope Pius IX in 1878 and election of more liberal Leo XIII provided Bismarck with an excuse to the change the policy
1880 May Laws gradually repealed
what was the result of the ending of kulturkampf?
- relations with the Papacy improved and Bismarck was able to make his alliance with Austria 1879
- Zentrum transformed itself into a purely religious party supporting the empire
- Bismarck freed from dependence on the NLs and was able to make policy changes as desired
what did the Central Association of German Manufacturers campaign for in 1878?
introduction of tariffs on imports in Germany
peasant farmers and landowners also campaigned for protective tariffs
most European countries had adopted protection by the 1870s
what was Bismarck’s view on economic protection?
- a threat to agricultural incomes would undermine the economic position of the Junker aristocracy
- Germany should not be dependent on foreign imports but able to feed itself, in case of war
- tariffs could provide the gov with much needed revenue, which would not be dependent on an annual Reichstag vote
- working closely with the German Conservatives and the Zentrum would help combat socialism
- protection could act as a form of retaliation against Russia (who Germany imported wheat from) following disputes over the Balkans
how often was the army budget discussed and why did it cause friction between Bismarck and the Liberals?
reviewed every 7 years
Bismarck wanted a larger grant for the army permanently
Liberals opposed and the Septennial Law produced as a compromise 1874
how did the NLs do in the 1877 and 1878 elections?
1877 - 128 seats - less seats than previously
1878 - 99 seats
lost 29 seats - Bismarck saw this an an opportunity to rid himself of reliance on the liberals
what were the political changes of 1878-79?
- NLs split and lost influence
- Bismarck strongly supported by cons, landowners and big industrialists - beginning of ‘alliance of steel and rye’
- Reich became more united in support of protection
- tariffs raised the cost of living for workers making them more likely to support socialism
- Bismarck demonstrated political skill and opportunism through control of the Reichstag and ability to make and break alliances
when was the first Socialist party created?
1875 - the SPD
constitution was Marxist and spoke of a republic in which industries were nationalised and workers took a share of the profits
1877 - won 12 seats - although small, 6x greater than separate socialist workers’ parties in 1871
what did Bismarck believe of socialism?
a social and political threat to the unity of the German Empire
felt it threatened traditional German society
Bismarck knew an attack on socialism would strengthen ties with conservative allies, Russia and Austria
two attempts on the Emperor’s life in 1878 - Bismarck persuaded the Reichstag that the SPD should be suppressed in order to remove a major source of disloyalty
