Transcript Chapter 25 Part 3

The Age of Mass Politics
1871-1914
Chapter 25-3
Late
th
19
Century W. & C. Europe
Increased suffrage
Increased Literacy
= increased demands for more responsive
governments
Overview of Mass Politics
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Ordinary people felt increasing loyalty to their
governments
By 1914 universal male suffrage was the rule
Female suffrage after WWI
Politicians and parties in national parliaments
represented the people more responsibly as
suffrage increased
Overview
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continued
Rise of the Welfare state: first Germany, then
Britain, France, others
Increased literacy: government belief that
public education was important. Society needs
well-informed, responsible citizens
Governments often led by conservatives who
manipulated nationalism to create a sense of
unity to divert attention away from class
conflicts
Conservative Governments
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Often channeled national sentiment in an antiliberal and militaristic direction after 1871
The German Empire 1871-1914
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A federal union of Prussia and 24 smaller states
Kaiser Wilhelm I (1871-1888) had the ultimate
power in Germany
Otto von Bismarck (1810-1898) was the
chancellor and the mastermind behind the
government
Bicameral Legislature: Reichstag
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Bundestag (the Volk) & Bundesrat (the lander)
Germany’s Multi-party Political
System
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Conservatives represented the Junkers
Center Party (Catholics): approved Bismarcks
policy of centralizing and promoted the concept
of Particularism which advocated regional
priorities
The Democratic Socialist Party (SPD): Marxist
and advocated sweeping social change
Middle Class was left out
The Middle Class
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Feared the growing influence of the SPD
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SO the Middle class gave half-hearted support
to the imperial authority and noble influence
Bismarck…
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Believed the Center Party and the SPD were
threats to imperial power
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He tried to destroy them
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Was unsuccessful
Germany under Bismarck 1871-1890
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Bismarck dominated European diplomacy
Unif ied the monetary system
Established an Imperial Bank and strengthened
existing banks
Developed universal civil and criminal codes
Established compulsory military service
Kulturkampf
Struggle for civilization
The Center (Catholic) Party
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Bismarck tried to limit the influence of the
Catholic Party largely because of the Pope (Pius
IX) claiming papal infallibility in 1870
Most states in the North were Protestant
Most German States in the South were Catholic
Bismarck tried to drive the party underground
but failed
The SPD
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Marxist
Wanted sweeping social changes
Wanted universal suffrage
Wanted genuine democracy
Wanted to demilitarize German Government
Bismarck drove it underground but did not
destroy it
Reforms to limit the power of the left
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1879 protective tariff
Modern social security laws (Germany 1st):
1883 &84: National Sickness and Accident
insurance laws
 1889: Old Age Pensions
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Child Labor Laws
Improved working conditions
Reforms meant better standard of
living
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BUT workers did not leave the SPD
However, many supported Bismarck
AND Bismarck successfully circumvented the
middle class
By 1912, the SPD was the largest party in the
Reichstag
Wilhelm II (1888-1918)
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Did not support Bismarck’s efforts to outlaw the
SPD
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To gain support of the workers, Wilhelm II
forced Bismarck to resign!
France: The Third Republic
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The Second Empire collapsed with the defeat of
France and the capture of Napoleon III in the
Franco-Prussian War (1870-71)
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A new National Assembly (1871-1875) was
created
Adophe Thiers Chief Executive
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The Third Republic
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The Paris Commune a radical communist group,
refused to recognize the authority of the new
National Assembly
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The Paris Commune lay siege to Paris
March-May 1871 war: Paris Commune v troops
of National Assembly
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The Third Republic
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Thousands died and 20,000 were later executed
Paris Commune was defeated
The Third Republic established in 1875
Dominated by the bourgeoisie
Weak President: Leon Gambetta
Chamber of Deputies elected by universal male
suffrage
Reforms
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Trade unions legalized (again)
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Jules Ferry secular education and reform:
Tax-supported Public Schools
 Compulsory education
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The Third Republic
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Multi-party system
Ever shiftng coalitions
Government fell dozens of times (refers to
which party was in control at any one time)
Challenges to the Third Republic from the right
and the left
Challenges to the Third Republic
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Action Francaise led by Charles Maurras
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Wanted an authoritarian government with
strengthened military
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Led to Boulanger Crisis
Boulanger Crisis (1887-1889)
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Led by Georges Boulanger with support of the
military
Plotted to overthrow the Republic
The Republic summoned Boulanger to trial
BUT he fled to Belgium and committed suicide
Panama Scandal (1892)
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Ferdinand de Lesseps failed to complete a canal
in Panama
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Cost taxpayers millions
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The public believed the government to be
corrupt
The Dreyfus Affair
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Was the most serious threat to the Republic
The military falsely charged Captain Alfred
Dreyfus (Jewish) with supplying secrets to the
Germans
Monarchists (with support from the Catholic
Church) used this to discredit the republicans
The Dreyfus Affair
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Emile Zola (realist author) condemned the
military and defended Dreyfus in newspaper
article:
J,accuse
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1906 Dreyfus declared innocent
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The Dreyfus Affair
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Led to an alliance between moderate republicans
and socialists
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1905 Republicans launched an anti-clerical
campaign which increased the separation of
Church and state
France
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Socialists led by Juan Juares stead gains in the
Chamber of Deputies 1905-1914
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By 1914 The Third Republic had the support of
the majority of the French people