Political Authority
The extent and makeup of the German Empire 1871
1871 constitution
Role of Emperor and Chancellor
Political groupings and parties and their idelogies
Germany from 1871
Ruled by Kaiser Wilhelm (previous King of Prussia)
26 seperate states
Prussia = largest (60% of land and population)
Bavaria = next largest
Minority areas
East Prussia - Polish
Alsace Lorraine - French
North Schleswig - Danish
Federal State
States maintain sovereignity (right to self govern.)
22 Landers maintained monarchy
Bavaria
Wurttemberg
Saxony
Bavaria
lots of autonomy - right to maintain army in peacetime
States maintained considerable power.
Prior to 1871
Holy Roman Empire
300 states
Napoleaonic wars 1815
39 states established
Congress of Vienna
North German Confederation 1867
Prussian war with Austria 1862
Franco Prussian War 1870-71
Confederation extended to Southern states of Germany
Kaiser
Hereditary monarch (King of Prussia)
Appointed and dismissed Chancellor and other ministers
call/ dissolve Reichstag
commanded army & foreign policy (right to make treaties and alliances)
assent to all laws
devised laws and policies with chancellor
Final say of disputes
Chancellor
appointed and dismissed by Kaiser
accountable only to Kaiser (not Reichstag)
decided outlines of policy with Kaiser & Bundesrat
gave assent to laws with Kaiser
Ministers
appointed and dismissed by Kaiser
responsible to Kaiser not Bunderat
decided outlines of policy with Kaiser & Bundenstag
Bundesrat - Upper House
Representatives
58 from 25 state government
proportion to state size
Prussia largest state = 17 members
Presided by Chancellor
Could initiate legislation
decisions made by majority vote
proposal to alter constitution needed majority of 14
had to approve new laws
could veto all legislation - apart from Reichstag approved budget
Had to give approval to the Kaiser for declaratioin of war
Reichstag - Lower House
members elected by males over 25 years
deputies (members) had right of free speech
elections held every 3 years in indirect voting system (varied in different regions.)
have consent to all laws - inc annual budget/ taxes
could question, debate, reject new law
could not amend law
could not demand dismissal of Chancellor or any ministers.
Emperor
Prussian King
controlled all appointments to executive and civil service
Article 17
duty to 'prepare and publish the laws of the Empire and supervise their execution'
Head of armed forces
right to declare war
marital law
but needed bundestag approval
appoint Chancellor
Chancellor
worked with Kaiser
reponsible to Kaiser (not Reichstag)
attend Reichstag to explain and defend imperial policy
Pressure groups
not competing for right to rule
aiming to advance concerns of followers
LEFT
Social Democratic Party (SDP)
working class & trade unions
reduction of power of elites
extension of welfare reform
extreme members - overthrow constitution
Progressives (DFP)
extend powers of Reichstag
believed in liberal consitutional state
disliked Centralism & militarism
Zentrum (Centre)
German Catholics and minorities
preserve position of Catholic church, esp education
conservative in consitution, liberal in reform
National Liberals (NL)
supported Bismarck's policy of reunification
protestant middle class - bankers, merchants, etc
favoured free trade
fear of SPD = move more right
Free Conservatives (FKP)
landowners, industrialists and businessmen
strong supporters of Bismarck
German Conservative Party (DKP)
protestant, aristocratic Prussian Junkers
dislike of Reichstag
dominant in Prussia
RIGHT