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| |There are failures: Falk resigns, some of the anti-catholic measures repealed – exiled clergy |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