German History

World War I was not the product of a failed foreign policy. Rather it resulted from Bismarck's narrow social synthesis. This left many Germans out in the cold and produced a virulent class conflict. It was this class conflict that pushed the German Elite into the decision for war." The decision of the German Elite to enter World War I was caused by the aggression of the country and its allies.

The political, military and economical environments inside the Germany made the war possible, at least partly because of Bismarck's narrow social synthesis. These environments each contributed to the initiation of the war by the German Elite. Bismarck, first Prime Minister of Prussia and then Chancellor of the German Empire that he established, set about the construction of Germany through created a state ruled by the German Elite.

Bismarck's welfare state, which led to the separation of classes, started in 1970 and provided social insurance for working-class people and later for all people in society. However, his motives were not humanitarian. Bismarck's explicit rationale for the program was to bind the people through chains of gratitude toward the state so that they would never feel that they could make it on their own. His goal was to keep the working class from ever being able to stand alone or experience a feeling of independence.

Bismarck's goal was to destroy liberalism. He was also associated with the rising movement of anti-Semitism. The world began to be impressed with Germany's powerful, authoritarian, militaristic, state-socialistic model. From that point the shape of the world power structures began to change. This and other factors brought about the expansion of the welfare-warfare state and the massive growth of government in all areas, two world wars, fascism, communism, and diminishing individual freedom.

The war started for a number of reasons, all of which lead to the fact that the only powerful presence in Germany was the German Elite. Because of Prussia and Bismarck, Germany had the one of the largest, best-equipped and well-trained armies in Europe, giving them an edge over other European armies.

However, in 1913, the French army set a requirement that all French male citizens now were required to serve three years not two of military service, which meant that soon the French army would have matched the German army in size. In addition, Russia had created a large and relatively modern railroad system connecting it to the center of Europe, which loosened the margin of strategic superiority of the German Empire. The German Elite felt that if war were not started soon, they would lose their military advantage.

This created urgency for military action. The political structure of the German government at this time fully supported military action. The political structure of the German Reich, as defined by the Federal constitution of 1871, may best be described as a facade of a parliamentary monarchy superimposed upon the edifice of an authoritarian state dominated by the reactionary, militarist, landowning aristocracy of Prussia"(Kelroy pg.44).

The separation of classes, created by Bismarck, allowed the ruling class of Germany freedom in pursuing its agenda of dominance over Europe and the rest of the world. Therefore, if the Kaiser of Germany, who was also the absolute commander of the Armed Forces, wanted war, it would happen. The only democratically elected organ of the German government was the Lower House of Parliament, whose only power consisted in denying the government funds for "operating the state." Still, no political party mounted.