UNIFICATION OF GERMANY

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•UNIFICATION OF GERMANY:---One of the major events of 19th  century Europe was struggle for national unification and
independence. Greece and Belgium became independent in this century and Germany and Italy rose as united independent states.

•SOCIO--ECONOMIC CONDITIONS:---
The social conditions were similar to those witnessed in any Feudal society.
In Germany, the landlords were called Junkers, who dominated the affairs of the state. Economically, the division of Germany into multiple states resulted in poor economic development because of restrictions these states brought on free movement of goods. The backward socio-political system also contributed to the poor economic situation.

• ROLE OF NAPOLEONIC WARS & FRENCH REVOLUTION IN 18th CENTURY :--was divided into many states. The Napoleonic wars ended the artificial boundaries of many states and united them, but still 38 states remained. Prussia was the biggest and the most powerful of them. After the French revolution, the German people started demanding democratic form of government and economic reforms. The wave of nationalism enthused the Germans for unification of these states.
•Unification of Germany
All these undercurrents resulted in formation of the German Confederation in 1815. It included parts of Austrian & Prussian Empire and some German states. Large parts of Prussia and Austria were not included in the Confederation. Confederation’s purpose was to coordinate economic policies of the constituent members.

But it failed because of following:
a) Each of the constituent state tried to assert its independence and did little to meet the antifeudal aspirations of the people.

b) The 1848 revolts for establishment of a democracy in a unified Germany.

c) Rivalry between Austria and Prussia for dominating the affairs of the German Confederation. Failure to unite under a Democracy 1848 was a year of revolts in most of Europe for establishment of democracy. These revolts were led by workers. In 1848, revolts started in all German states for overthrow of the present political system of Monarchy rule and the rulers were forced to grant a democratic form of government. The Constituent Assembly thus formed, met in Frankfurt with the goals to unite all the German States and to draft a new constitution. The Prussian King refused to the proposal of a  constitutionalmonarchy for united Germany. In the meantime, the rulers bounced back and started the repression of the nationalists. Consequently, the rights granted so far to appease the nationalists were withdrawn and the monarchy of Prussia emerged the strongest.


•UNIFICATION UNDER BISMARCK:---Policy of Blood & Iron The unification of Germany was still to happen but not under a democratic government but under the iron hand of Bismarck, the military commander of Prussia. His policy was to preserve the interests of the landed aristocracy and the domination of Army in affairs of the State. Bismarck followed the policy of Blood and Iron under which he coerced the states into unison. The policy was implemented swiftly and with great strategic expertise. The aim of the policy was to unite Germany under the Prussian Monarchy and this required bringing down the German Confederation.
To implement his policy:
BISMARCK

1.Bismarck’s Prussia first fought a war in 1864 in alliance with Austria against Denmark to annex most of the territory of German Confederation.

b) Then he allied with Italy in 1866 to defeat Austria and removed it from the German Confederation. Consequently the Confederation itself was ended.
Bismarck

c) In 1867, Bismarck formed the North German Confederation. It united 22 German states but excluded the Southern German states like Bavaria, which remained independent. The constitution of this Confederation made the Prussian King the hereditary head of the state. The Southern states followed a pro-Austria policy but were forced to unite after the German victory in Franco-Prussian war of 1870.

d) The Franco-Prussian war in 1870 led to final unification of Germany. In 1870 the French monarchy was tattering and the conditions were ripe for another revolution for establishment of a democratic republic. The French King Louis Bonaparte declared war on Germany in 1870. 

 He wanted to use a war victory to divert attention of the public and to use the consequent war gains to lend credibility to his regime. On other hand, Bismarck was also partially responsible for provoking the French for war. The result was that France was defeated and it declared itself republic in 1871. The war and the consequent German victory allowed Bismarck to absorb rest of the German states into a united Germany (1871).

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