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The Second Reich- Society
& Government in Germany c.
1900-1919
- 1. Constitution of the Second Reich
- Kaiser
- Prussian Monarch & Sovereign
in the Second Reich
- Commander in Chief of the Army
- In charge of foreign policy
- Could dissolve the Reichstag
- President of the Bundesrat
- Prussian Monarch & Sovereign
in the Second Reich
- Chancellor & Ministers
- Responsible for presenting legislation to
parliament & implementing laws.
- Not accountable
to parliament,
only to the
Kaiser.
- Tended to be
Junkers.
- Responsible for presenting legislation to
parliament & implementing laws.
- Reichstag
- Democratic element of
the constitution.
- Elected by universal suffrage
- Could accept, amend or
veto legislation
- Democratic element of
the constitution.
- The Bundesrat
- Appointed by regional
state assemblies
- Held legislative powers
- Could initiate legislation & if 14
members voted against a law it
could be vetoed.
- Bismarck designed this to ensure the
dominance of Prussian conservatives.
- Appointed by regional
state assemblies
- The Federal State
- Reflected the independent
origins of the newly unified
Germany
- States had power to determine
local political arrangements
- In charge of
education, local
policing and
healthcare.
- Reflected the independent
origins of the newly unified
Germany
- The Army
- Accountable only to the Kaiser
- Swore an oath of allegiance
only to him & not to the
government.
- Accountable only to the Kaiser
- Kaiser
- 2. Economic & Social Developments
- Economic Developments
- Economic growth
- 1890-1914: economy
expanded 4.5% per year
- Coal & Iron production
doubled
- Steel production >
Britain's by 1900
- 1890-1914: economy
expanded 4.5% per year
- New industries
- Excelled in chemicals,
pharmaceuticals, electrical
- Daimler & Diesel - Cars
- AEG & Siemens- electrical
- 1913- 50% of
electrical goods.
- Excelled in chemicals,
pharmaceuticals, electrical
- Industrial Economy
- Growing percentage of population working in
industrial and service sectors of the economy
- GNP rose from 33% to 42%
- Growing percentage of population working in
industrial and service sectors of the economy
- Improved transport infrastructure
- Developed trains, tramways & trolley
buses constructed to facilitate travel &
industrial development
- Developed trains, tramways & trolley
buses constructed to facilitate travel &
industrial development
- Economic growth
- Social Developments
- Urbanisation
- Population boom & new
jobs stimulated urbanisation
- 1910-60% of population lived in urban
areas (highest rate in Europe)
- Berlin had >2 million residents
- Overcrowding and
homelessness were
consequences
- Population boom & new
jobs stimulated urbanisation
- Poor standards of living
- Boom in trade union
membership- 3 million by 1913
- Despite low
unemployment & rise in
wages
- Boom in trade union
membership- 3 million by 1913
- Class tensions
- Working class unhappy about pay &
working conditions
- Junkers keen to conserve
their dominant position in
society
- Mittelstand felt their living standards
were threatened by new industries.
- Working class unhappy about pay &
working conditions
- Urbanisation
- Economic Developments
- 3. Political Developments
- 4. The Kaiser & His Chancellors
- 5. How Did The Political
System Work In Practice?
- 6. Second Reich by 1914
- 7. The Impact of WWI on Germany
- 8. The German Revolution 1918-1919
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