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Germany, 1871–1990: United, Divided and Reunited

The Reichstag and the political parties

  • 3 things to know
  • Paper 3

Overview

Recall questions on what the Reichstag could and could not do, why Bismarck granted universal male suffrage, the main parties, the Anti-Socialist Laws, and social insurance.

What you need to know

Answer each one before you reveal it.

Your recallNot started
Who and when

How did regional and social divisions shape party politics?

Numbers

What social insurance did Bismarck introduce in the 1880s?

Key term

What were the main parties of the Empire?

Questions from this subtopic

Each one with the model answer underneath.

  1. 1

    What social insurance did Bismarck introduce in the 1880s?

    Model answer

    Sickness insurance (1883), accident insurance (1884) and old-age pensions (1889) – pioneering state welfare, partly intended to undercut socialism.

  2. 2

    Why did Bismarck introduce protection in 1879?

    Model answer

    Tariffs on iron and grain protected both heavy industry and Junker agriculture (the 'marriage of iron and rye') and ended the earlier free-trade policy.

  3. 3

    What power did the Reichstag have, and what were its limits?

    Model answer

    Elected by universal male suffrage, it controlled the budget and legislation, but it could not appoint or dismiss the Chancellor, who answered only to the Kaiser.

  4. 4

    What was the Septennat?

    Model answer

    The arrangement of 1874 fixing the army budget for seven years at a time, which Bismarck renewed in 1887 by dissolving the Reichstag and winning the election, limiting parliament's control of military spending.

  5. 5

    Why did Bismarck introduce universal male suffrage?

    Model answer

    He calculated that peasants and workers would vote conservatively under the influence of landlords and priests, which proved wrong as parties organised.

  6. 6

    What were the main parties of the Empire?

    Model answer

    Conservatives, National Liberals, the Catholic Centre, Progressives and the Social Democrats, whose rise Bismarck failed to stop.

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