1. Socialist Party 1875-1890 The oldest political party in Germany. The party participates in nine government states. In 1878-1890 the party was banned but it still gained support during elections. The second part of Bismarck's strategy to destroy social democracy was the introduction of social legislation to woo the workers away from political radicalism. During the 1880s, accident and old-age insurance as well as a form of socialised medicine were introduced and implemented by the government. But Bismarck's two-pronged strategy to win the workers for the conservative regime did not succeed. Support for the Social Democrats increased with each election. The election of 1890 was a disaster for Bismarck. The Centre, the Social Democrats, and the Progressives, the parties that he had termed enemies of the empire, gained more than half of the seats in the new Reichstag.

2. The Liberal Party The National Liberal Party a German political party which flourished between 1867 and 1918. It was formed by those Prussian liberals who put aside their differences with Bismarck over domestic policy due to their support for his highly successful foreign policy, which resulted in the unification of Germany. Its first chairman was Rudolf von Bennigsen. The National Liberals' period of great dominance was between 1871 and 1879, when they were Bismarck's chief allies in the Reichstag, and were avid supporters of the Kulturkampf. Bismarck broke with the Liberals in 1879, when he turned to protection, which violated the free trade principles of the National Liberals. However, the Liberals were the strongest support of von Tirpitz's various Fleet Acts starting in 1898, which pushed Great Britain into an arms race with Germany until World War I. The National Liberals came to be closely associated with the interests of big business. Increasingly threatened by the growing strength of the Socialists, the party gradually became more conservative, although it was generally split between a more liberal wing that sought to strengthen ties with the dissident liberals to their left, and a right wing that came to support more protectionist policies and close relations with the Conservatives and the imperial government.

3. The Catholic Centre Party 18711874187718781881188418871890 National Liberals 1251551289947519942 Centre Party 589193941009998106 Seats in the Reichstag over a period of 19 years The Centre Party was formed in 1870, and consistently won between 90 and 110 seats, making it the second largest party in the Reichstag by 1871, after the National Liberals, until 1912. It represented Catholics, with members from all social classes, and a wide spectrum of political views, ranging from conservative to progressive social reform. It allied with either right or left wing views as the occasion demanded. The party objected to the state’s interference in the Church’s traditional sphere of influence – education. Bismarck viewed Catholics, who made up 1/3 of total Germany, as suspicious, as they opposed his ideas on consolidating the new Reich. Many of the international minorities within the country, such as the French and Polish, were Catholic, as well as most of the southern states. These people tended to identify with Austria instead of Prussia. Bismarck saw the party’s success as a grave danger for unity, as he believed that the party’s politicians encouraged civil disobedience among Catholics during contrasts between the state and Church. Bismarck began ‘Kulturkampf’, which limited the power of the Catholic Church, for example: Catholic-run schools were supervised directly by the state The Jesuit order (an order of Priests, known as the Society of Jesus) members were forbidden to set up establishments in Germany The ‘May Laws’ were introduced in 1873, aiming to bring the Catholic Church under state control: 1. All candidates for priesthood had to attend a secular university before beginning training 2. All religious appointments became subject to state approval 3. Compulsorary civil marriage introduced in Prussia in 1874 Clergy could be fined, imprisoned or expelled if they failed to comply with these laws. Laws empowered Prussia to suspend Church subsidies in parishes where the new laws were resisted by the clergy All religious orders, except nursing, were dissolved. This oppression didn’t have the desired effect; the Centre Party simply grew stronger.

4. Bismarck’s Successes and Weaknesses Political PartySuccessesWeaknesses Liberals Needed a parliamentary majority and they were the strongest party Most applauded Bismarck’s success in unifying Germany Managed to pass lots of useful legislation Also united against Catholic Church Relations were always uneasy Bismarck didn’t agree with the extension of a parliamentary govn’t He became irritable + opposed many of their proposals There was particular contention over the Army and its budget Central Catholic Party The May laws were passed that sort to bring the church under control He took away many of the priest’s rights and took away the Church’s hold on education He used the failure of ‘Kulturkampf’ by using the massive support of the CCP to support more conservative, protectionist and anti-socialist measures Bismarck felt threatened as France, Poland and Austria were all Catholic The suppression came up against a lot of opposition The Pope told his priests not to abide by the rules The party was only strengthened and a greater divide was felt in Germany (not a new national identity)

5. Successes and Weakness cont. Political PartySuccessesWeaknesses Social Democratic Party (SDP) Bismarck managed to blame the assassination attempts on the SDP Both the liberals + SDP had to support anti-socialist bills to stop a heavier defeat He managed to ban any meetings of socialist groups Bismarck’s social state meant that he won the support of the average worker who would support the SDP SDP simply went ‘underground’ The law was implemented differently in every state so SDP members could stand for election + speak in the Reichstag After the initial dip in support, they won increasing support + by 1890 had 30 seats Bismarck’s attack only strengthened them, just like with Kulturkampf

6. To what extent were Bismarck’s dealings with the political parties successful in the years 1871-1890? INTRO: After Unification was completed in 1871, the New Germany was a federal state with a central government that controlled foreign policy and state governments that preserved their own rulers, parliaments and administrative services. As the Reichstag was an elected government, for the first time Bismarck as Imperial Chancellor was subject to public opinion and needed a majority to pass legislation. Therefore, he needed work with or suppress the threat of the Conservatives, National Liberals, Catholic Centre Party and Socialist Democratic Party. PARAGRAPHS: Successes :Liberals CCP SDP (link with how he Weaknesses:Liberals managed to pass his CCP own aims) SDP CONCLUSION: Bismarck, in general, was able to make opportunistic alliances with political parties that allowed him to create his own policies and govern in his own way, for example making early national legislation. However, he was not very successful in suppressing the threats of the CCP and SDP as his efforts dramatically increased their support. As a result his dealings were not very successful if we consider what he achieved through his alliances and not what policies he made