1. The German Reich:

- Prussia dominates the Bundestag (upper House) (1)
- The Reichstag (lower House) elected under universal male suffrage, voted the budget (2)
- The Reich could not levy direct taxes (3)

(1) -(2) - German constitution based on balance of powers, with a domination of the emperor and the chancellor

Opposing forces:

1. the Center of the German Catholics => 1870s - the Kulturkampf opposed the German Reich and the Catholic Church
   the Center : across classes, concentrated in South and West Germany

2. the rise of the working class movement
1872: foundation of the Social Democratic Party (SPD)

1878-1879 => The Reichtag outlaws SPD propaganda and mass meetings + formidable underground organization => Bismarck forced to introduce factory legislation (sickness & accident insurance, 1883; old age & disability pensions, 1889)

1912: SPD won the largest number of votes in Germany
1889: SPD - the artisan of the international working class movement  (Second International)

=> marxist ideas about the transformation of society =>
split within the SPD ----> 1.Revisionists (Eduard Bernstein)
                                 ----> 2. Leftist (Rosa Luxemburg)

1- supposed the idea of a German nation => cooperation with Bismarck

1888: death of William I => William II proclaimed Kaiser => conflict with Bismarck => 1890: Bismarck retired

- William's support of the army => increasing German nationalism
1890s: Farmers League mobilized rural areas with anti- semitism
1890: Navy League - founded by admiral Alfred von Tirpitz (1)
1890: Pan - German League (2)

(1) + (2) => German expansion in Europe and overseas

2. German Colonies:

1884 -1885: to prevent British expansion, Bismarck claims Togo, Cameroon, South-West Africa and East Africa for Germany
1885 (Berlin): European powers (Britain, France, Germany, Belgium, Italy) divided the African continent into colonies
1899: Germany occupies the Pacific archipelagoes Bismarck, Caroline, and Mariana => clash of interests with US