Germany under a Kaiser

• When Germany was unified as a nation in 1871, the king of the most powerful state, Prussia, became the new Kaiser.
• Chancellor: chief minister.

  Minister: advised the Kaiser.
• Bundesrat: made up of representatives from each state.
• Reichstag: parliament elected by men over 25.
• Both the Bundesrat and Reichstag debated and voted on laws drawn up by the Kaiser and ministers.
• Kaiser: Could ignore government advice and make his own decisions. Made all military and foreign policy decisions.
• Germany began to industrialise in the late 1800s.
• Germany produced two thirds of Europe‘s steel.
• From the late 1800s, Germany‘s economy expanded as it industrialised. By 1914, it was a world economic power.
• Germany’s working class grew as Germany industrialised, but their pay and conditions were poor.
• The new Social Democratic Party (SPD) became popular with workers. It wanted social reforms to improve workers rights and conditions.
• The Kaiser wanted to expand the German Empire, so he intro the Navy Laws (1898 - 1912) and used borrowed money to increase the army and navy.
• Taxes were increased and money was borrowed to pay for the Navy Laws. Germany would remain in debt for a very long time.