Age of Mass Politics, 1871-1914
The Responsive Nation-State Common people felt increasing loyalty to the state (Age of Nationalism) Especially due to expansion of suffrage Increases significance of universal education Democracy is highly dependent on well-informed and responsible citizens Multi-party political system Gov ts passed laws to appease voters Welfare State begins to emerge! Conservative manipulation of nationalism Rallied working class, those who might be sympathetic to socialism, to their cause through anti-liberal and militaristic rhetoric! Imperialism and WWI were used as means to divert attention away from underlying problems within the state!
Mass Politics in the Second Reich Unit 1878, Bismarck worked exclusively with National Liberals to further economic unification of Second Reich Why? Alliance of property-owners due to fear of socialists!! Bismarck s Political Program 1) Destroy the influence of the Catholic Church 2) Destroy the Social Democratic Party Plan #1 Kulturkampf (Anti-Catholic legislation persecution) Why? Reaction to Pope s conservative politics! Backed by liberals, but vetoed by Catholic Center Party Mostly a failure; only successful within the Prussian state Outcome #1 - Alliance with Catholic Center Party Adoption of agricultural protectionism Increased sense of nationalism through uniting the Catholic Center Party, Conservative (Junker) Party, and National Liberals
Mass Politics in the Second Reich Plan #2 - Outlawed Social Democratic Party Utilized legislation to win support of working classes Social Security Laws 1883-1889 Sickness and accident insurance Old-age pension and retirement benefits First Welfare State in European History!!! Despite winning support of workers, it failed to destroy the influence of an underground SPD! Outcome #2 - Bismarck ousted by William II, who legalized Socialist Party Socialist gained popularity, and by 1912, majority control of the Reichstag! Due to legalization and political success, they also became less revolutionary and more nationalistic!!!
The Third Republic in France Paris Commune March 1871 Cause: Conservative victory in first elections of Third Republic Parisians wanted republican rule of Paris without conservative influence of countryside Result: Army, who supported the Third Republic, crushed the urban rebels Class warfare once again very much like June Days of 1848! Third Republic survived due to conservative nature of republican leaders After a decade, party politics established but all were firm republicans! Universal male suffrage Parliamentary superiority established!! Responsive national politics Recognition of unionization Participation within age of Imperialism Free compulsory education adopted Not controlled by church New culture of universal, secular, and republican education Dreyfus Affair What? Anti-semitic crusade against Jewish army officer Army and Catholic Church vs. Republicans, Civil Liberterians, and Socialists Emile Zola J accuse Result? Found innocent of treason and reinstated Revived republican feeling against the church Church no longer connected to the state Only socialism served as opposing force to patriotic republicanism; however, it began to gain greater political representations within the National Assembly
Britain s Political Evolution towards Democracy Expansion of Suffrage Second Reform Bill of 1867 passed by Conservative leader Benjamin Disraeli Suffrage for all of the middle class and urban working men Influence? John Stuart Mill On Liberty Real cause? Need to broaden Conservative base of support Third Reform Bill of 1884 passed by Liberal leader William Gladstone Universal male suffrage Aristocratic conservatism finally yielded to popular democracy Liberal Party led by David Lloyd George enacted social welfare (People s Budget of 1909) In order to pay for this, they raise taxes on the rich Redistribution of income Parliament Act of 1911 House of Commons established superiority over House of Lords!!
Irish Question Liberal PM William Gladstone desired Irish Home Rule Two bills unsuccessful in 1886 and 1893 Irish nationalists in British parliament helped Liberals pass People s Budget in 1909 Liberals agreed to pass Home Rule Bill! 1912 Third Home Rule Bill introduced Religious and geographical divide causes problems! Ulsterites (Northern Ireland) refused home rule Compromise made, but the Irish nationalists rejected it 1914 Third Home Rule Bill passes, but due to WWI, its implementation is suspended Result: Growth of Irish Republican Party and calls for Irish Free State! 1919-1921 Irish War of Independence 1920 Fourth Home Rule Bill Northern Ireland (Ulster) receives Home Rule 1921 Anglo-Irish Treaty Southern Ireland becomes a Free State of the British Commonwealth
The Irish Divide
Austria-Hungary Ausgleich Dual Monarchy Cause? Austrian loss to Prussia in 1866 Hungary gains virtual independence Shared monarch and ministries Result? Growing nationalistic forces threatened the stability of both Austria and Hungary Responsive politics Could not use nationalism to alleviate social problems Enforced German and Magyar as official languages 1907 Universal Male Suffrage Anti-Semitism Vienna Mayor Dr. Karl Lueger
Ethnic Groups of Austria-Hungary