govt and opp 1871-90

Generally stable, but not without problems; Bismarck would use tantrums and resignation threats to manipulate the Kaiser, who was reliant on him

1871-88

1876; introduced the imperial currency of the Mark to enable unification

Through a political tactic called Realpolitik ("by any means necessary"). Bismarck's Realpolitik approach mixed war (blood and iron) with an appeal to German nationalism.

- Agreed over 100 laws in the RS
- Reichsbank 1876
- Single court system
- Extension of the railway network

37%

1870; any proclamation by the Pope concerning faith or morals is without error, placing Catholics in a conundrum of nationalism or faith

1872-78, Bismarck's anticlerical campaign to expel Jesuits from Germany and break off relations with Vatican. Eventually, after little success, Bismarck halted these policies.

NLs w. 125 seats

63 seats

'Empire enemy', used in 1871 against Zentrim

German Catholics

SPD

- Apply only to Prussia, but some extended to rest of Empire
- Clergy required to be educated and appointed by Prussian state
- Deprivation of some legal rights for Prussian catholics

- Appointment of clergy to be done by state, not Pope
- Catholic religious orders to be dissolved (imperial in 1875)
- Civil marriage compulsory
- Priests to retrain and declare state loyalty

- All Prussian & Polish bishops imprisoned or exiled
- 1400/4600 Catholic parishes without priests

Wilhelm I was lukewarm but more supportive after a letter from the Pope saying loyalty should be to him, but his family did not like it

- Persecution -> martyrs -> Catholics rally against Kampf
- 91 seats in the 1874 election
- BM had intensified imperial divisions

1874, by a Catholic barrel-maker

- Wanted to ally Germany with Austria (a Catholic country)
- The Protestant Conservatives, his natural allies, had grown hostile to the anti-religious aspects of the Kampf
- BM wanted to focus instead on the new threat of socialism, and felt that Zentrum could help him with this
- BM wanted to move away from solely using the National Liberals as his support base, especially as he wanted to abandon the policy of free trade

1878, replaced by Leo XIII who wanted to seek reconciliation with BM

Dr Adalbert Falk, the Prussian Minister of Religion and Education

- BM could make his alliance with Austria in 1879
- BM freed from dependence on the NLs
- Zentrum became a purely religious party

Gains majority with 155 seats

Gains second majority with 91 seats

Central Association of German Manufacturers 1878, campaigned for tariffs on imports, alongside peasant farmers and landowners

Threat to agricultural incomes would undermine the economic position of Junkers, and he would also combat socialism simultaneously.

1874, made after BM's request for military matters to be removed from RS control. NLs disagreed, so the Septennial Law was produced as a compromise; concession to National Liberals

1974; Undermined liberal principles of freedom of speech by placing restrictions on newspapers and allowing for prosecution of editors

Conservatives and Zentrum, with a combined 153 seats

1878-79, after elections; the NLs split and lost influence whilst BM gained more support from the right in his polices, but more workers turned to the SPD due to tariffs

An alliance made from 1878 between landowners and industrialists, who had common interests in economic protection

May 1878, by a SPD former member Max Höder and academic Karl Nobiling; helped BM pass the October Anti-Socialist Law

- Felt it was a threat to imperial unity
- Threatened the traditional structure of German society
- Strengthen German ties with Russia and Austria

October 1878, effectively but not actually banning the SPD

- Socialist organisations banned
- Socialist meetings banned
- Socialist publications banned
- Police powers increased

Four times up to 1890

Making the Anti-Socialist Law permanent, but the RS said no

- 1880; liberal sympathisers removed from governmental organisations
- 15,000 activists imprisoned
- Lack of candidates for 1881 elections

- SPD broadens its non-revolutionary appeal to workers
- Better organisation of the party, e.g. meeting in secret and having conferences abroad

Switzerland, 1880 and Denmark, 1883

Between 1878 and 1890, the number of people voting more than doubled

35 compared to 12

He sponsored safety laws and old age pensions to create 'state socialism'

- German made the only language for education, commerce and law-courts
- Polish Catholic Cardinal leader imprisoned during Kulturkampf for 12 years
- Germans encouraged to buy Polish farms in East Prussia through state loans

34,000, despite RS protestations

National Liberals

The 'Reich Council,' which could bypass the RS; was experimented in Prussia, with the Prussian Council

The Progressives, with 15->74

Bad; 75% were hostile to his govt and a Centre-Conservative/National-Liberal-Conservative could not command a majority

1887, after French Minister for War Boulanger made some threats after an arrest of a Frank on the border of Alsace

BM not being able to pass a 10% increase in taxation to finance army growth

The Conservatives and National Liberals had a small majority and aided BM, if sparsely

Failure of BM's October Anti-Socialist Bill

An increase in the SPD and Progressive representation

1878-79; right support BM, left join Progressives

1879-90; aimed to unite political parties in support of the state

1888, succeeded by his son, Frederick

June 1888, from throat cancer after having been Kaiser for only 99 days

June 15th 1888

- WII wanted to reduce the powers of Minister-President of Prussia and have greater personal rule
- WII was more sympathetic to the socialists and felt he could win them over
- WII wanted to strengthen ties with Austria; BM wanted to favour Russia
- WII wanted to be loved by Germany and not feed into any Reichsfeinde politics

The 'People's Emperor'

- Army increase of 125,000
- Anti-Socialist Bill

Call on the Bundesrat to alter the constitution to reduce RS power; WII thought this preposterous

By arguing with him about who should be approached first by ministers and accusing him of 'meddling in foreign affairs'

March 1890

- Well funded military
- Divided between social groups
- Weakened RS
- Growing socialism under authoritarianism