Unit 1 - From kaiser to Fuhrer
- Created by: Kelsey Sewell
- Created on: 11-03-14 11:37
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- Unit 1 from Kaiser to Fuhrer
- A federal State
- including 25 states, four kingdoms, 6 grand duchies, 12 duchies and 3 free cities.
- - states retained their own government, some allowed universal suffrage, others retained 17th century style systems.
- the constitution granted the states fairly wide ranging powers, like helping in education, healthcare etc, only domestic disputes
- The Kaiser
- Kaiser held constitutional powers which made the personality of the Kaiser of paramount importance
- Kaiser Wilhelm II said that 'there is only one man in charge of the Reich and I will not tolerate another'
- Kaiser was always to be Prussian king, reinforcing its dominance in the new state
- Kaiser held full control over foreign and domestic policy
- the Kaisers influence over the country was considerable. Appointed and dismissed Chancellor's, and he could dissolve the Reichstag.
- He had to oversee implication of federal law, and he was the guardian of the constitution.
- Kaiser held constitutional powers which made the personality of the Kaiser of paramount importance
- The chancellor
- the chancellor was directly responsible to the Kaiser as chief minister of the Reich, he was in charge of appointing and dismissing state secretaries
- chancellor could ignore resolutions passed by Reichstag
- He was minister president of Prussia
- Bismarck gave the position of chancellor to manipulate the Kaiser and the Reichstag, but it depended on the chancellor's political ability
- Bundesrat
- The upper house of the federal parliament
- consisted of 58 members nominated by the state assemblies In theory it could change the constitution.
- created by Bismarck to act as a barrier to radical legislation, could veto something if 14 or more chamber of deputies voted against.
- 3 class franchise..
- 3 bands, - those who paid more tax accounted for more of the votes
- lowest group of voters made 92% but their vote didn't count.. 600,000 socialist votes accounted to SPD seats
- 418,000 conservative votes was 212 seats
- 3 class franchise..
- 17 of the 58 members in the Bundesrat were Prussian - no legislation could be passed without consent of the Chamber of Deputies.
- The Reichstag
- lower house of the federal parliament, it held joint power with the Bundesrat.
- persuaded the Reichstag to vote through the septennial act, with the result that the military budget was voted every 5 years instead of 7.
- control over the defence budget, Bismarck recognised the potential political lever that it might give the Reischtag.
- Had to pass the annual budget, but the power was reduced by Bismarck, when he switched to protectionism.
- even though the Reichstag could be dissolved by the Kaiser, it could not be dismissed and it had the right to hold elections soon after dissolution.
- universal male suffrage of men over the age of 25. It's members represented constituencies that were arranged in the 1870's. The Reichstag was limited
- Reichstag members could not become members of the government if they wanted to they had to resign their seats.
- The chancellor was not accountable to the Reichstag and did not even have answer to its questions.
- Bismarck included the stipulation that members could not be paid.
- lower house of the federal parliament, it held joint power with the Bundesrat.
- Army
- The army laid outside the formal constitution because Bismarck did not want to tie its hands by defining its role.
- Based on the face that German victories meant that they got Germany (Prussia) - army therefore they answered to the Kaiser.
- Kaiser appointed the military cabinet
- military cabinet chose general staff
- the war minister was a member of the general staff and accountable to the Kaiser and the military cabinet
- Swore oath of allegiance to the Kaiser
- most f the guard and generals were the elite, and Junkers. 44% were professional soldiers - few had respect for democracy.
- army = a state within a state
- the bureaucracy
- didn't have specific jobs, but was still significant
- Fredreich Holstein - 1890-1906 the Kaiser's chief of adviser on foreign affairs. His impact on policy and events was considerable
- didn't have specific jobs, but was still significant
- A federal State
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