Politics:

With the downfall of Bismarck, Germany was pursuing rapid social and economic modernisation, while avoiding any reforms of the authoritarian political system
Kaiser Wilhelm II led a highly militaristic regime in Germany
Political organisations, such as the Navy League and Farmers League, were all authoritarian in their politics and aggressive in expansionist foreign policy
Prussia's Junker, military and bureaucratic elites stood in firm opposition to any democratisation of the electoral system
Reform to democracy came about under the Reich after World War One
Some historians argue Wilhelm II was driven to pursue an aggressive foreign policy in order to gain support from agrarian and middles classes in order that these classes might oppose the Social Democrats
- Socialism:
- By 1890, the Social democrats were growing in numbers received more seats than any other party
- With each election going into the 20th century, the Social democrats grew in numbers
- The Socialist's were the strongest party in 1912; able to win some improvements in living conditions for working-class Germans
- Rise in membership from 384,327 in 1905/06 to 1,085,905 in 1913/14
- 1913 - Social democrat parliamentarians' votes helped to bring in new tax laws affecting the wealthy, which were necessary due to the increase in military spending

Economy and society:

Speed of industrial maturity after 1890 was substantial
1895-1907 - there was a doubling of the number of workers in machine building
There was also a huge drop in the number of people emigrating from Germany
The application of intensive agricultural techniques led to the value of farm products doubling and a sharp decline in the rural population
40% of Germans lived in rural areas in 1910
The German working class grew rapidly in the late 19th century and early 20th century
Total union membership reached 3.7 million in 1912; 2.5 million were associated with socialist unions
German factories were also larger and more modern than those of Britain and France; these were in the industrial regions of Berlin and the Ruhr valley

Germany 1890-1918