Germany and the growth of democracy

• What sort of Ruler was Kaiser Wilhelm II?


  Autocratic (absolute power/control)
• What was Kaiser Wilhelm II’s personality?


  Impulsive, immature, explosive nature
• The Kaiser


  The monarch who has complete control
• Riechstag 


  The elected German parliament, could approve laws. Voted in by men over 25
• Chancellor 


  The senior politician - appointed by the Kaiser
• Militarism 


  A country that focuses on its military and improving it to gain power
• Bundesrat 


  A Parliament that represents the different states
• Weltpolitik 


  The aim for Germany to have a ‘place in the sun’ / be a global power
• What were the Kaisers main 3 aims

  1. Control the Political system
  2. Make Germany a global power (Weltpolitik)
  3. Build up the Navy
• The Junkers 


  Powerful Prussian landowners who dominated German politics. Supported the Kaiser’s ambition to build an empire overseas
• What hindered the Kaiser? 


  Trade unions, industrialisation (the Kaiser didn’t like change)
• Trade union


  An organisation that protects workers rights
• Socialism 


  Concerns the needs of all the people not just the rich
• Social democratic party (SPD)


  A German political party that supports socialism and for all to be represented in Germany
• How did the growing population in cities (industrialisation) create new social problems? 


  Because the working classes wanted better working and living conditions
• Why did the government not want to pass reforms? What did this lead to?


  They were afraid of encouraging Socialist ideas. This lead to groups encouraging change becoming more popular (e.g. the SPD)
• How many seats did the SPD have in 1887 and what did it increase to in 1903? 


  1887 = 11 seats —> 1903 = seats in the Riechstag
• How many members did trade unions have by 1914?

  3.3 million members
• What did the SPD disagree with and why was this a threat to the Kaiser? 


  With the Privileges held by elites like the military and the monarchy. They were getting more popular and could threaten the Kaisers rule and spread these ideas
• What groups grew alongside the SPD? 


  Extreme nationalist groups
• What did the Kaiser introduce to divert attention away from socialism (e.g. In 1891)

  Some limited social reforms e.g. 1891 the workers’ protection act was introduced to improve safety in the workplace
• By 1912, which party was the largest in the Riechstag?


  The SPD had 35% with 110 seats