hist2128 germany, 1871-1933: from empire to republic industrialisation and its impact on society...
TRANSCRIPT
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HIST2128
Germany, 1871-1933: From Empire to Republic
Industrialisation and its impact on society
Lecture 6
9 February 2012
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Economy, 1871-9 (1)
• ‘Founder years’ (Gründerjahre) after unification, 1871-3: Rapid expansion of industry, commerce, great banks → 1,018 new firms founded
• Further heating up by F’s war reparations of 5,000 million gold francs
• Economic crisis, 1873: Criticism of free trade, UK competition, cheap US grain imports → Rising demands for protective laws
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Economy, 1871-9 (2)= Transition to protective tariffs supported by Bismarck to
obtain financial means for Reich without Reichstag consent
= Forging of alliance of heavy industry & large land-owning interests vs. commerce, shipping & consumer interests
= Securing National Liberals’ & Conservatives’ majorities for Bismarck in Reichstag
→ Change to stronger conservatism in G’ domestic policy, 1878/9 !
→ End of Bismarck’s cooperation with Liberals
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Negative Integration
Target groups:
1) Catholics + Centre Party → Kulturkampf
2) Poles / Danes / Alsatians → Language discrimination
3) Socialists + SPD (Social Democratic Party of Germany) → ‘Anti-Socialist Law’, 1878
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Early Working-class Political Parties in Europe
• Initially clandestine, conspiratorial, illegal cells - later mass political parties
• Chartism: Mass meetings & petitions for political & social reform ► UK 1837-42
• General German Workers’ Union, 1863 → German Social Democratic Party
(SPD), 1875/90 ► Model party for North EU, NL, B, I, East EU
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Socialist Party
• 1869 Social Democratic Workers’ Party: Marxist• 1875 Social Democratic Party of Germany (SPD)
Reformist + Revolutionary
Aimed …• To change existing order • To employ legal means in political struggle• To nationalise banks, industry,• To fight for social equality
= Growing support of industrial workers until 1914
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Anti-Socialist Bill (1)
1878 Assassination attempts on William I:
→ Bismarck reaction …• predicted ‘red anarchy’• blamed National Liberals for not supporting
anti-socialist bill• dissolved Reichstag for new election: Huge
losses for SPD + National Liberals
= Anti-socialist bill passed (Oct 1878)
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Anti-Socialist Bill (2)
• SPD organisations, trade unions, meetings, publications banned
• 1,500 SPD members imprisoned + many emigrated• But: SPD parliamentary party still legal
= Underground activity of SPD organisations
= Election campaigns & parliamentary work continued
= Strengthened SPD in its political beliefs
► Unsuccessful policy of Bismarck !
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State Socialism (1)
Welfare measures = State socialism
Reasons:
• Bismarck’s Christianity / morality
• Paternalist tradition in Prussia / Germany:
State regarded as responsible for well-being of citizens
• Bismarck’s hope to win workers’ support vs. growing support for SPD
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State Socialism (2)
• Bills:
Sickness Insurance Act, 1883
Accident Insurance Act, 1884
Old Age and Disability Act, 1889
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“The German Social Insurance stands as model for the whole worldand has not yet been achieved by others.”
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State Socialism (3)
• Benefits modest, no state subsidies• No interference in employers’ rights
(‘Masters in their own house’)
• No substitute for real political rights
• No weakening of SPD + Left Liberals
• Not successful for winning working class
• But: Germany most advanced in sociallegislation worldwide (a model)