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Government and Opposition 1871-88 - Coggle Diagram
Government and Opposition 1871-88
The personalities of Kaiser Wilhelm I and Bismarck I
Bismarck
Prussian, conservative and militarist
not good orator, never had single party backing
disliked socialists
recognised importance of Reichstag, but loathed it
Wilhelm I
Dependent on Bismarck
Prussian aristocrat
gave Bismarck way
Policies and government under Bismarck
1. Policies for Further Unification
Support of National Liberal leader - Rudolf von Bennigsen
establishment of Reichbank
1876
controlled new currency called mark
stable controlled by gold
uniform law for commerce and abolition of tariffs between Landers
single system of weights and measurements
national postal and telegragh system
national penal code 1972
single court system 1879
support for extension of railway.
2. Struggle against the Catholic Church
Reasons for
Growing strength of Catholicism
Political influence - Zentrum (second largest party in Reichstag_
37% of pop - southern states & Rhineland
Financially independent
possessed own schools
Political rivalry
attack on Catholic church would strengthen protestant support towards Bismarck
Pope's 1864 Syllabus of Errors
Catholics put in opposition to LIberals
Doctrine of Papal Infallibility 1870
Catholics conflicted with loyalties between country and pope
Kultukampf
May Laws 1873
Education under supervision
Catholic services dissolved
appointment of clergy made by state, not Catholic church
Prussian Catholics deprived of certain legal and civil rights
End of Kulturkampf
Bismarck wanted a closer alliance with Austria, and anti-Catholic policies would stand in his way.
needed support of centre party (losing National Liberals)
German Conservatives opposed and Bismarck needed their support
Socialism posed greater threat - could use Centre party to remove socialism further
Results
Relations with papacy improved and Bismarck able to make alliance with Austria 1879
Zentrum purely religious party, supporting Empire and strengthening unity
Bismarck freed from dependence on National Liberals.
3. Economic protection
Bismarck's reason for tarriffs
threat to agricultural incomes would undermine economy
Germany should not be dependent on foreign imports
would provide government with revenue
working closer with conservatives and Zentrum helps to combat socialism
protection from retaliation from Russia following issues in Balkans (imported wheat.)
opposition to tariffs
National Liberals
1878 Bismarck called election
National liberals lost 29 seats
German Conservatives and Zentrum overall majoirty.
result of tariffs
National Liberals split and lost influence
Beginning of 'alliance of steel and rye' (Bismarck supported by conservatives)
Reich became more united in support of protection
Tariffs raised cost of living - workers more inclined to vote socialist
Bismarck demonstrated control over Reichstag
4. Struggle Against Socialism
Anti socialist law 1878
socialist organisations such as trade unions banned
socialist connections banned
socialist publications banned
police powers increased
penalities - fine, imprisonment, hard labour and exile
Reichstag refused to allow Anti socialist law to become permemant (although it was renewed 4 times.)
Results of Anti socialist legislation
Short term
15,000 socialists imprisoned and others exiled
gov and civil servants purged of socialists
introduction of
'state socialism
'
Bismarck introduced medical legislation 1883, accident 1884, and old age pensions 1889
Long term
SPD broadened appeal as revolutionary party
number of people voting for SPD doubled 1878-90
1890 - 35 seats, party membership around 15 million
1890 - 278,000 workers belonged to trade unions and strike acttivity escalated.
5. National Minorities
East = Germanisation
German only language in education and courts
Germans encouraged to buy Polish farms with help of state loans
expelled 34,000 Pole and Jews 1885-86, despite protest from Reichstag
North Schleswig
German only permitted langauge
Alsace Lorraince
strongly pro-french citizens encouraged to leave - 400,000 did between 1970-1914
The role of the Reichstag and the struggle between autocracy and democracy
Reichstag was democratic
voting rights for all men over 25
members elected every 5 years
powers and functions divided between central government and 35 state governments
states within Reich retained own constitution
power divided between federal government and state government
Reichstag was autocratic
Kaiser could dismiss Reichstag
Chancellor could ignore resolutions from Reichstag
Reichstag could not create legislation (only reject or accept.)
Prussian majority in Bundesrat
Bismarck worked with Reichstag
1870-78 alliance with National Liberals
1878-79 support from conservatives and Zentrum
1887 elections - produced pro-Biismarck Reichstag (national liberals and conservatives.) allowed budget to be passed
Bismarck poor relationship with Reichstag
1880 - considered setting up alternative 'Reich council'
scheme rejected by imperial Reichstag
trialled in Prussia
SPD stronger in opposition
1881 - 75% of Reichstag opposed Bismarck and were hostile towards him
1881 - 86 - Neither Conservative Centre or Conservative Liberal would command majority
pace of legislation slowed down
1887 - Reichstag dissolved over failure to pass taxation for army growth
1890 - rejection of permanent Anti-Socialist Bill
1890 election - increased representation of SPD and Progressives
The development of parties and political opposition
The National Liberals
Dominant 1871-1878
Divided over press law and army bill 1874
Split over tariff reform and Anti Socialist Law, 1878-1879
Left wing party broke away and joined 'Progressive party'
The Zentrum
Weakened by Kulturkampf 1871-1878
Supportive of anti-liberal and anti-socialist measures after 1878
Not fully reliable - prepared to support some conservative measures but also opposed to policies in 1880s
The SPD
Formed in 1875 with a Marxist programme
devoted energies to fighting Reichstag elections
Socialist organisations banned in 1878 but party allowed to continue
vocal to opposition in Bimsarck's policies 1880s
The Conservatives
Supportive, but challenged by liberal dominance before 1878
From 1878 - Bismarck's strongest support base
Leaders of 'Sammlungspolitk' 1879-1890 - right wing National Liberals and Zentrum joined them to 'rally together' in support of the state
Kaiser Wilhelm II
Believed in personal rule - wanted to reduce powers of Minister President
More sympatheic towards socialism and felt he could win over workers
Kaiser wanted to maintain close relations with Austria (Bismarck favoured Russia.)
Wilhelm wanted to be loved by people
End of Bismarck
1889 - called for increase of 125,000 men in army and severe Anti Socialist Law
Wilhelm rejected scheme -forced Bismarck to resign