Institutions during Wilhelmine Germany
- Created by: Katie Beaumont
- Created on: 22-04-17 20:27
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- INSTITUTIONS in WILHELMINE Germany
- REICHSTAG
- They were still able to DISMISS/AMEND/PASS/REJECT LEGISLATION
- Its powers to INITIATE new laws were NEGLIGIBLE
- No party or coalition of parties FORMED THE GOVT of the day
- A vote of NO CONFIDENCE had LITTLE EFFECT
- Although there was universal male suffrage, the KAISER'S AUTHORITY in many areas was IMPERVIOUS to POPULAR CONTROL
- RIGHT-WING PARTIES
- Wilhelm & his govts were able to rely on the SUPPORT & BACKING of the RIGHT-WING PARTIES
- E.g. Conservatives/Free Conservatives/National Liberals
- The VOTING strength of these parties DECLINED after 1890
- By 1912, their SHARE of the vote was down to 26%
- If legislation was to be RATIFIED, the imperial govts had to FIND SUPPORT from OTHER PARTIES
- Wilhelm & his govts were able to rely on the SUPPORT & BACKING of the RIGHT-WING PARTIES
- The CENTRE PARTY
- This was the LARGEST PARTY in the REICHSTAG until 1912
- By 1900, it was the pivotal party allying with either RIGHT or LEFT, as the OCCASION DEMANDED
- The SPD
- The Wilhelmine era saw the METEROIC RISE of the SPD
- In 1890, they APPEALED TO GERMANY'S growing WORKING CLASS as they were LIBERATED the lapse of the ANTI-SOCIALIST LAW
- in 1891, they adopted an uncompromising MARXIST programme to OVERTHROW the WILHELMINE CLASS SYSTEM
- This was FAVOURED by many SPD MEMBERS
- This DIVIDED the party because MOST SPD DEPTUIES talked IN FAVOUR of REVOLUTION whilst other political parties regarded the SPD as FORCE FOR EVIL
- INTEREST GROUPS
- In the LATE 1890S, professionally led INTERST GROUPS became POWERFUL
- Some were ECONOMIC LOBBY GROUPS
- E.g. the AGRARIAN LEAGUE
- Huge variety of TRADE UNIONS
- Nationalist PGs, suchas PAN-GERMAN LEAGUE, existed
- These helped an ESCALATION of POLITICAL PARTICIPATION
- The ARMY
- Bismarck had fought hard to KEEP the MILUTARY under POLITICAL CONTROL
- However, his SUCCESSORS found it HARD to STAND UP TO the MILITARY CHIEFS, who had Wilhelm's SUPPORT
- Bismarck had fought hard to KEEP the MILUTARY under POLITICAL CONTROL
- REICHSTAG
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