Zusammenfassung der Ressource
Germany
- Political
- Authoritarian and militaristic
- The Kaiser appointed
the Chancellor and
ministers. They were
not answerable to
Parliament
- Authoritarian political structure disguised
by a democratic facade
- Reichstag elected by universal suffrage but it was unable to
exercise much control over the government, except in budgetary
matters
- Economic
- Between 1871 and
1914, Germany became
the greatest industrial
power in Europe.
- Growth in heavy industry (iron and
steel) and the emergence in new
industry (chemicals and optics)
- Population growth increased
the pressure for overseas
colonies
- Rapid urbanisation
- Social
- Considerable social tension
was present within Germany
- The German government sought to diffuse social tension by
distracting attention away from internal issues
- Foreign policy was used
as a diversionary tactic
- Continued social dominance of the
traditional land-owning Prussian
aristocracy
- Military
- Revival of the old alliance of
Protestant powers