ESSAY PLANS: UNIT 1



ESSAY PLANS: UNIT 1

ITALIAN AND GERMAN UNIFICATION

|How successful was Otto Bismarck in dealing with internal opposition to his unified German Empire? |

|INTRO |Bismarck very concerned with internal enemies in the years following Unification. |

| |Catholics are seeking power through the Centre Party, which serves as rallying point for |

| |oppositions to the new Unified Germany. |

| |Revolutionary and moderate Socialists combine in 1875 to form the German Social Democratic Party |

| |(SDP). Declared aim: overthrow the existing order. |

| |In order to assess how well Bismarck deals with internal opposition, we shall consider how well he|

| |deals with threats from Catholics and from Socialists. If they have become less of a threat, then|

| |he can be said to have succeeded. |

| |He tended to use two methods – repression, and more conciliatory methods designed to gain their |

| |support. |

|MAIN 1 |REPRESSION |

| |Began by defending the ‘Old Catholics’ and claiming Prussian govt. committed to religious |

| |toleration. Begins the Kulturkampf in 1872, condemning Catholic Church in newspaper articles. |

| |Successes: In 1872, the Jesuits were expelled from Germany, increasing state control over |

| |education. |

| |More severe anti-Roman Catholic laws of 1873 (the May Laws) allowed the government to supervise |

| |the education of the Roman Catholic clergy, and curtailed the disciplinary powers of the Church. |

|Catholics |This clearly weakens the influence of the church. |

| |In 1875, civil ceremonies were required for weddings, which could hitherto be performed in |

| |churches. Subsidies would be suspended from 1875 to all churches that refused to comply. This |

| |clearly brings major Church responsibilities under the control of the state. |

| |By 1876 10 of the 12 Catholic Bishops were in exile or under house arrest. More than 1000 priests |

| |had been suspended. This shows how seriously the measures have been put into practice. |

| |There were some permanent successes: After the Kulturkampf ended, many of the May Laws remain – |

| |civil marriage remains compulsory, Jesuits still exiled, State still oversees permanent Church |

| |appointments. |

| |There are failures: Falk resigns, some of the anti-catholic measures repealed – exiled clergy |

| |allowed to return home. |

| | |

| |Impact upon Centre Party Support: |

| |Bismarck’s vision of a protestant crusade of National Liberals and conservative Prussian elites |

| |never fully appeared – Protestants not too keen on KulturKampf legislation limiting all (including|

| |Protestant) Church involvement in education. |

| |Centre Party support increases – 58 seats (1871) grows to 91 (1874). The increase in support for |

| |the Centre Party is so strong that Bismarck is forced to call of the Kulturkampf crusade – a major|

| |defeat. |

| |Kulturkampf clearly strengthened the party, not weakening it. |

| | |

| |CONCILIATION: |

| |Ultimately, Bismarck sides with the Catholic Centre Party against his new enemy, Socialism – so he|

| |has clearly not succeeded in defeating it. This conservative alliance holds firm until the late |

| |1880s, so is clearly successful. A key element of this alliance is the campaign against |

| |Socialism… |

|MAIN 2 |Revolutionary and moderate Socialists combine in 1875 to form the German Social Democratic Party |

| |(SDP). Declared aim: overthrow the existing order. Bismarck deals with by Repression and State |

| |Socialism: |

| |REPRESSION: |

| |Working with the Conservatives and National liberals an anti-socialist bill was passed in October |

|Socialists |1878. Socialist organisations like Trade Unions were banned and between 1878 and 1890 c. 1,500 |

| |socialists were imprisoned and many emigrated. – This shows a clear impact has been made upon the |

| |Socialists and their organisations. |

| |However in many ways this was a failure. The Anti-Socialist law rallied the socialists and |

| |fortified their beliefs. |

| |SDP went underground, and the law did not prevent from standing for election – and then speaking |

| |freely in Reichstag and state legislatures. Clearly not defeated, therefore. |

| |As a result, SDP won increasing support – after dip in 1878, support grew – in 1890, over a |

| |million votes and 35 seats won. |

| |Conclusion: Brief success/progress, but ultimately Bismarck’s measures against the SDP increase |

| |support for Socialists and ensure that moderate and revolutionary socialist factions remain |

| |united. |

| | |

| |STATE SOCIALISM |

| |Also tried to win support by introducing State Socialism – so workers loyal to state, not SDP. |

| |Successes: |

| |1883 – Sickness Insurance Act. Medical treatment and up to 13 weeks sick pay to 13 million |

| |low-paid workers. Workers pay two thirds of contribution, Employers one third. |

| |Accident Insurance Act 1884 – Financed wholly by Employers, gave protection to disabled workers |

| |and those sick for more than 13 weeks. |

| |1886 – this was extended to cover agricultural workers. |

| |1889 – Old Age and Disability Act – pensions for those over 70, and disablement pensions for those|

| |who were younger and disabled. |

| |Failures: Bismarck believed factory owners should control their factories – and so did not |

| |regulate working hours, limit children or women working in factories, or take many steps to |

| |improve working conditions. |

| |Analysis: Reforms brought about by state socialism were by no means as advantageous for the |

| |workers as similar reforms by the SPD would have been, but they sufficed to pacify the workers and|

| |those critics of the chancellor who had blamed him for disregarding public needs. |

| |These reforms seen nowadays as Bismarck’s most important legacy, and this model of State Socialism|

| |has been copied throughout the world. |

| |BUT: Did not entirely win over the working class – well received by some workers, but others saw |

| |as a ‘sham’ – government still opposed formation of trade unions. |

|CONCLUSION |Efforts to halt Catholic Opposition gain some control of Church for the State, but lead to |

| |overwhelming growth of support for the Centre Party. Bismarck is then able to successfully unite |

| |with them against the Socialists. |

| |Briefly succeeds in hurting SDP, but measures clearly lead to rise in popularity and unity amongst|

| |the socialists. |

| |State Socialism far more successful – but there are limits to the extent to which Bismarck will |

| |go, so many workers still remain dissatisfied. |

| |Conclusion: Largely unsuccessful with repressive measures, but has more success when tries to |

| |work with them in more peaceful ways e.g. allying with Centre Party vs. Socialists, and |

| |introducing State Socialism. |

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