Question

#5A. Under the chancellorship of Bismarck, Germany:

a. realized the growth of a real democracy through universal male suffrage

b. passed social welfare legislation to woo workers away from the Social Democrats

c. engaged in the Kulturkamf or crusade to make Catholicism Germany’s national religion

d. maintained a military second only to that of France on the continent

#5B. Short answer: What do you think of Bismarck’s actions outside of foreign affairs? Explain.  

Answer 1

Bismarck's actions outside of foreign affairs was commendable. Bismarck had built a very strong army and was completely determined to unite the Germans into a single empire with Prussia at its core. He was largely responsible for creation of the German Empire. His military was second only to France in Europe. He was the fisrt to create a welfare state in the modern world. The welfare state was actually a form of government in that it protected and promoted the economic and social well being of the citizens. It provided people with national healthcare, sickness insurance,accident insurance, old age pensions, equal opportunity and distribution of wealth and opportunities for a good life. Bismarck passed laws to protect workers and he was a pioneer in bring about social reforms.This gave Bismarck the support of the working class which might otherwise had gone to his socialist opponents.

In the 1870's Bismarck lost his fight with the Catholic Church as they used universal male suffrage for their victory. This made Bismarck realize that the power of the real democracy is through universal male suffrage. He then adopted the same and because of the economic reforms that he had brought about, he believed that the entire rural and worker class population would vote in favor of him.

Bismarck had lauched an Anti -Catholic cultural struggle called Kulturkamf and had imprisoned many bishops and popes as he thought that they held too much power. He even abolished the Catholic department of the Prussian Ministry of culture. he expelled many Jesuits and tried to destabilize the Catholic regime but in vain.

In 1873 Europe had gone through a major depression. This is when Bismarck started to aid faltering industries by abandoning free trade and establlished a Protectionist Law that imposed Tariffs on Industrial and Agricultural imports into Germany.

Bismarck formed strong domestic state building legislation aimed to make the Germans more loyal to the throne. he granted people social rights, built strong bonding between the state and the people.

Bismarck worked closely with large industries to bring about massive economic growth in Germany.He provided workers with greater security. he gave workers a corporate status in the legal and political structures of Germany.