I have this "gut feeling" that history seems to repeat itself; each generation must re-learn the same material and overcome the same obstacles as the previous generation had done. In another class I read this book by Ivan Turgenev called "Fathers and Sons," which dealt with the concept of a cycle of ideas/governing that each generation must learn. I see this cycle of the same problems and poor solutions with the Prussian gov't leading up to 1848 and with Bismarck and his newly created German gov't in 1871. In the 1840s, as we have discussed in class, the Prussian gov't, with the numerous problems the State faced (taxation, wood theft, guilds, too much gov't intervention, exc), and it's overreaction to fix the issues led to the creation of more problems within society than eventually led to a "Revolution" of sorts in 1848. The Government, in the attempt to correct precieved problems, (i.e spilled milk) thus spilled more milk on the floor and had an even bigger problem on its hands than b4. This idea can also be seen with the Bismarck ran German gov't in the 1870s and 1880s. There were problems with social classes, (the bourgeoisie and the working class) religious divisions, and the economy, in addition to foreign affairs. Arguably the only 1 that Bismarck was able to fix was the issue of foreign policy, which worked in keeping France isolated until the outbreak of WW1. In trying to fix these problems in Germany, Bismarck, like the previous generation, created even more problems. 1) In developing the idea of "Reichsfeinde" (enemies of the State), Bismarck created a voting bloc of roughly 25% that would always vote against him, in essence giving political power to his emenies, the Center Party.
2) While trying to bring the Liberals to his corner with "Kulturkampf," Bismarck alienates the "evil Catholics," and the "evil socialists" with the Anti-Socialist Law (1878) thus driving both groups and their economic earning power underground, and at the same time making both groups increasingly radical. So Bismarck, while trying to fix this problem of a political puddle of milk on the floor, spills even more milk all over the place just like the previous generation had done in the 1840s, to the ultimate detriment of the german people.
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i disagree with your statement that "Bismarck [...] created even more problems." His role in the unification of Germany alone destryoed numerous problems that had previously been deemed interminable. Trading limitations, taxing inconsistencies, gubernatorial loyalty concerns and a dual religious dominance are only a few (big) problems that Bismarck played a large role in eliminating. Only foriegn affairs? I doubt it. Should Bismarck have abandoned his political goals because he was going to alienate a few Catholics or socialists?
ReplyDeleteHistorians continue to debate the merits of the empire that Bismarck created. Some argue that the fragile empire created by Bismarck failed to solve the internal problems that plagued Germany and failed to unite the population in a productive manner, leaving an unequal balance of power in favor of the Junkers that permitted a modern industrial nation to enter the twentieth century governed by a group with a feudal mentality. Others point to numerous successes in the progress toward democracy made by liberals and other groups. Certainly Bismarck's actions in unifying Germany set the terms of the new nation but they also created a state that obviously still had problems.
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