Introduction
The German nation was relatively young, born in 1871 after more than half a dozen German speaking kingdoms and duchies came together to form the German empire. However the German Reich encountered several problems during its time that eventually led to its collapse. The country not only witnessed serious political problems but social ones as well. Majority of the population was against the authoritarian rule of the monarchy but the handlers of the empire ensured power did not slip out of their hands through whatever means. Several domestic problems faced the country with civil unrest, the threat posed by the Social Democratic Party that was gaining root among most Germans. The new king Wilhelm II was also very reckless in handling foreign matters thus making him constantly in trouble with his neighbors. All these foreign problems would eventually lead to the World War II that led to the collapse of the German Empire.
Problems Facing Imperial Germany
The empire of Germany faced several difficulties from its inception. The country was not so much developed as it lagged behind U.S.A and Britain. However, Germany underwent rapid industrialization development after 1850. The main catalysts for this industrialization were the foundation in coal, iron (and later steel), chemicals and railways. Germany would then grow from a population of 41 million people in the year 1871, to over 68 million by the year1913. This rapid population increase and rapid industrialization would mean more trouble for the country. The leaders of Germany at this time also had a habit of engaging the country in several wars thus making the empire more exposed.
Shift from Pan-Germanism to Bismarck’s Pragmatic “Realpolitik”
After the formation of the German state the new country was controlled mainly by the powerful Prussian Prime Minister Otto von Bismarck. Bismarck abandoned the liberal and democratic character showed by the advocates of the unification. His major undoing was to eliminate Austria from the Union as he feared a conflict would arise between Prussia and Austria as they had been at loggerheads. His style of leadership was pragmatic as he continued the authoritarian rule of the emperor Wilhelm I while also advocating for workers’ rights through introduction of old-age pensions, accident insurance, medical care and unemployment insurance that was the backbone of modern European welfare state. These actions of Bismarck did not go well with the small kingdoms and duchies that had come together to form this nation.
Social Issues
After the unification in the year 1871, Bismarck spent more time in establishing national unity by promoting the Prussian rule. He was opposed to conservative Catholic activism and emancipation activities. He applied tough measure to quell working class radicalism, represented by the emerging Social Democratic Party.
“Germanisation”
More policies were adopted to abolish the use of non-German languages in public life, schools and academic settings as a way of forcing the non-Germans to adopt the German culture while abandoning their identity. These actions were not so welcomed by the non-German speakers as it led some resistance in the form of home schooling and unity among minority groups, mainly the Poles. This policy was actually adopted against the minority Poles within the country.
Anti-Semitism
This was a serious problem in Germany. This had been religiously motivated until the 19th century when it became a factor in German nationalism. By 1860 all the legal barriers on Jews in Prussia were lifted and in the next 20 years, they were well represented in the white-collar professions and much of academia. Although they still faced opposition from most German elites, their services were still useful to the country. Among most Germans Jews was a symbol of capitalism and modernity which was resented by most Germans. But, they found their legality in the constitution which protected the rights of all.
Domestic Challenges
When Otto von Bismarck stepped down, the country remained solely under the rule of Kaiser Wilhelm II who was reckless in his leadership. By mid 1890s most civil societies came up to contest the authoritarian conservative Prussian militarism that had been imposed to the whole country. Several stakeholders in the education sector opposed to the German state-run schools, where military education was a must to all students. They then decided to come up with their own independent liberal schools that were free and stimulated independence and freedom. The most serious problem facing the monarchy at this time was the newly formed Social Democratic Party of Germany (SPD) which was a major threat. This party advocated Marxism and its threat spread across Germany threatening both the monarchy and industrialists. The state then cracked down on the supporters of this party while also advancing its own program of social reform to minimize the discontent that had been witnessed. Most Germans would move away from the country in search of better life in overseas countries such as the U.S.A. and Britain which were more attractive.
Foreign Affairs
King Wilhelm was an ambitious ruler who wanted to emulate the British if not to surpass them. Most German traders and merchants were spread throughout the world thus he encouraged colonial efforts in Africa and the Pacific. Their late entrance to colonization meant they were in constantly in conflict with the established colonizers like the British and the United States which was against its aggression into acquiring colonies in the Caribbean and the Pacific. Wilhelm would then commit a fatal mistake by allowing the "Reinsurance Treaty" that Bismarck had negotiated with Tsarist Russia to lapse. This meant that Germany was left out with no proper ally but Austria-Hungary. Their relationship with Russia went from bad to worse when they decided to help Austria-Hungary into annexing Bosnia and Herzegovina in 1908. Wilhelm then missed the occasion to seek an alliance with Britain in the 1890s when it entered into colonial oppositions with France thus limiting their interactions with Britain. The only other ally he had was Italy who would later abandon him during wartime as they saw more meaning in joining the French, British and Russia. He would then acquire a second ally in the Ottoman Empire when it joined in the Ottoman War which only proved costly as it drained most of the country’s resources.
World War I
The losses suffered in the aftermath of World War I were very fatal for the German nation. The penalties imposed by the Treaty of Versailles only helped shape the positive memory of the Empire. Most Germans distrusted and despised the Weimar Republic at this time. Conservatives, liberals, socialists, nationalists, Catholics, and Protestants all had their own interpretations. This led to a more intense political and social climate in Germany leading to the collapse of the empire.
Conclusion
The Imperial Germany faced several challenges before its final collapse. The country faced several problems during this period mainly self-inflicted. Although the country had witnessed higher industrialization and economic growth this time the lack of proper political system and poor democracy meant the country was involved in chaos both within and without their borders.
Work Cited
Berghahn, Volker R. Germany and the Approach of War in 1914. New York: St. Martin's Press, 1973. Print.
Fritzsche, Peter. Germans into Nazis. Cambridge, Mass: Harvard University Press, 1998. Print.
Orlow, Dietrich. A History of Modern Germany: 1871 to Present. Englewood Cliffs, N.J: Prentice-Hall, 1987. Print.
Snell, John L, and Allan Mitchell. The Nazi Revolution: Hitler's Dictatorship and the German Nation. Lexington, Mass: D. C. Heath and Company, 1973. Print.
