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HIST2086 Bismarck: The Iron Chancellor

HIST2086 Bismarck: The Iron Chancellor. Bonapartism and Realpolitik Lecture 8 30 September 2010. 2 Conservatisms in Prussia. High-Conservatism (East German officials, Junkers): Stressed historical legitimacy of Prussia’s traditional political system

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HIST2086 Bismarck: The Iron Chancellor

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  1. HIST2086Bismarck: The Iron Chancellor Bonapartism and Realpolitik Lecture 8 30 September 2010

  2. 2 Conservatisms in Prussia • High-Conservatism(East German officials, Junkers): • Stressed historical legitimacy of Prussia’s traditional political system • Aimed to pull back political modernisation since 1848 = reactionary + neo-absolutist • Neo-Conservatism(West German officials, academics, liberal- minded nobles, Crown prince William): • Stressed need to modernize Prussia’s political system • Aimed to cancel alliances with reactionary Russia + Austria for cooperation with liberal-minded Britain

  3. Bismarck’s reaction • Strongly opposed to Neo-Conservatism = saw danger of internal split + weakening of monarchy • Rejected British parliamentary liberalism as unsuitable for Prussia basing on strong monarchs + military • Promoted to take ‘Bonapartism’ of French Emperor Napoleon III as model for Prussia

  4. Bonapartism (I) • Louis Bonaparte, nephew of Napoleon I: Conservative coup of 1851 + abolition of 2nd republic + new conservative constitution + plebiscite of French voters for ‘Emperor Napoleon III’, 1852 = 2nd French Empire • Employed democratic tool of peoples’ sovereignty (= universal suffrage = plebiscite) to beat republicans + liberals • Used plebiscite to justify conservative government • Based his rule on ‘peoples’ will’ (not god’s will), conservative constitution, power over army + police

  5. Bonapartism (II) • Introduced social policies + promoted economic life(reduction of unemployment by large building programs = infrastructure + fortifications + Paris: ‘Capital of the world’) • Pushed for aggressive foreign policy to strengthen France’s international power position = Extremely popular among French nationalistic masses • = A modern base of legitimacy for monarchy without endangering privileges of old elites + without giving democratic concessions • = A unique balance between ‘historical rights’ + modern peoples’ sovereignty

  6. Bismarck’s Ideas • Considered to transfer Napoleon’s successful conservative tactics to Prussia • Came in strong conflict with high-Conservatives who rejected Bonapartism as ‘adventure’, ‘embodiment of peoples’ sovereignty’, ‘natural enemy of Prussia’, ‘infamous marriage between absolutism + liberalism’ • Regarded ‘Realpolitik’ (A.L. Rochau, 1853) as suitable tool for domestic + foreign politics = no binding ideologies, principles, contracts, but purely pragmatic + opportunistic strategies aiming for success as only criteria for politics = Bismarck: ‘The White Revolutionary’ ?

  7. The National Question Austria regarded German national movement as potential risk for multi-national Habsburg Empire = Therefore: A German national state possible without Austria Prussia (Bismarck) regarded German national movement as potential tool for Prussia’s political ambitions for Germany = Therefore: A German national state impossible without Prussia

  8. ‘Revolution From Above’ Bismarck’s conception: • To connect Prussia’s political aims in Germany with German national movement • To exclude Austria from Germany • To preserve power of Prussian king + conservative elites • To provide a new mass basis for Conservatism • To enforce integration of liberal + national forces by Prussia’s dynamical + successful foreign policies = Bismarckian style of ‘Bonapartism’

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