Social

• The elites were involved heavily in politics, supporting parties and pressure groups with their wealth.
• Many peasants lives were precarious. They shared quite conservative outlooks.
• Position of Junker landowners were threatened by the position of falling food prices. Some even had to sell their land.
• Some working class women were manual labourers, forming small workshops to contribute to the textile trade.
• Peasant women tilled land alongside the men.
• Pressure groups like the Pan-German league campaigned for restrictions on Jewish immigration.
• The military glorification in unification was well celebrated in Germany. 'Sedan Day' was the anniversary of the victory over France and captured French guns were paraded through Berlin.
• More than half of army officers had titles.
• The industrialisation brought some benefits to German workers. Employment rates were high and wages increased 25%.
• Medical insurance payed for medical bills for workers. Accident insurance provided grants to those who had been injured at work.
• Caprivi introduced a minimum wage and no Sunday employment.
• In 1871, only 8 towns had more than 100,000 inhabitants, by 1910, there were 48.