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The Kaiserreich 1871-1914, Kulturkampf was a fierce conflict that took…

- - - - Control all appointments to the executive (this included the chancellor.
      - He could call and dissolve the reichstag.
      - Full command over the army.
      - Semi-constitutional state - monarch has some power.
    - - For:
        
        The constitution of the New German Empire incorporated many elements of the North German confederation (1867) which was created by Bismark.
        
        It created a federal state in which power was divided between all 35 states- each state could have its own laws and many kept their previous rules.
        
        Democratic- People did have the opportunity and despite the fact that it could be overturned, the reichstag did have some say in what happened.
      - Against:
        
        Autocratic- Only males who where over the age of 25 could vote and the Kaiser could change anything politically that he didn't agree on. This resulted in the Junkers dominating.
        
        The power that the Kaiser and the Chancellor had resulted in other political parties acting like pressure groups and any that caused a threat could be dealt with (Anti socialist laws in 1878 and 1890).
        
        Kaiser and chancellor shared very similar beliefs so there was little difference in their powers- reichstag had no influence in who was to be chancellor.
- - - - He was a key figure in the unification of Germany.
      - He helped to shape the German constitution and build its democracy (even though it was unfair)
      - 1885 Berlin Conference- Organised by Bismark The General Act of Berlin can be seen as the formalisation of the Scramble for Africa
    - - His attempts to stop socialism failed and his attacks on them only made them stronger (1890 they received 19.8% of the vote which was the highest amount).
      - Became undermined by the new Kaiser (Wilhelm 2nd) - They had dissimilar views and it lead to Bismarck stepping down.
  - - - For much of the 1870's Bismarck pursed Kulturkampf against the catholics. He placed parochial schools under state control swell as the Catholic Church.
      - This can be seen as a failure because they catholic people united and in 1871 they received 63 seats in the Reichstag and in 1874 it went up to 91.
    - - As Germany revolutionised the German workers began to become more educated and wanted more power.
      - Anti-socialist laws in 1878 and 1881 tried to ban all socialist gatherings in hopes it would stop them from growing.
      - Introduced welfare reforms in 1883 (sickness pay) and in 1884 (pensions) to try and ease off the socialist pressure.
    - - In 1871 the turnout for the voting was only 50% but over time it gradually grew and by 1890 71.2% of people voted. ( Conservative votes fell from 23% to 19.1%).
- - - - `Munich university produced more science graduates than the whole of England.