Contribution of Bismarck in Unification of Germany

Undoubtedly, Bismarck contributed to a great extent to the unification of Germany. His diplomatic skills worked in favor of creating a united Germany. His greatness was in going with events so as to master them. Since 1848, several international situations favored Bismarck in uniting Germany. The decline of Austria after Metternich resigned in 1848 facilitated the unification of Germany since Austria was an obstacle to unification. Unification of Germany was a political movement which had historically evolved and its impact was felt in language, community, territory, economic life, and the psychological make-up of the population of those days.

A positive aspect of nationalism prevailed in the minds of the citizens of the land during the 19th century. It was a vibrant period for Germany since there were several political changes happening there during that period. Otto Eduard Leopold von Bismarck was the leading and important person of this age since his importance to the changes in Germany, Prussia and whole Europe was very significant. Born in to the land owning Junker class, Bismarck graduated from law school and took up politics. He achieved his goal of unification of Germany though sometimes his plans were nonhuman, autocratic and imposing. His principle of “blood and iron” reflected his mode of political operation.

After Napoleon’s downfall, the major political powers like Austria, Prussia, France, Great Britain and Russia did not know what to do on the Vienna congress. The rising spirit of nationalism would have proved disastrous for Austria because it consisted of different ethical groups. In Germany people had the right to vote in elections. Every citizen had the same rights and laws. The Jews also had the same rights as Germans. There were some non-democratic aspects in Germany. The first of which was that the Catholic Church did not get any financial assistance from the government and they were forced to leave Germany. This will be found in one article get from cheap essay writing service. Bismarck attempted to overpower the socialist party since the power was concentrated on the emperor.

In order to unite Germany Bismarck had to fight several factors which were blocking his course of action. The socialist party was a serious block to his plans of unification. Therefore, he suppressed it to the maximum extent possible. Jews and Poles were regarded as enemies by him since he wanted Germany to be solely for Germans. His plan was to unite the German states into a strong German empire with Prussia as its epicenter. He made his famous blood and iron speech on September 30, 1862. This speech implied that the unification of Germany would happen only with the use of military force. Liberalism, democracy and socialism were his most detested concepts.

Bismarck later dismissed the budget proposal and the bureaucracy was ordered to collect taxes. His plan was to use this money for military use. In other words, the money collected from people was used to subjugate them sometime later. Prussian armies were thought to be expanded and strengthened for fighting the forthcoming wars which Bismarck planned for the unification purpose. Through the Danish War 1864-65, Prussian Austrian War 1866 and the Franco- Prussian War were the wars Bismarck devised for his noble cause. Though unification of Germany was a major cause the execution of his plans was done through coercive ways which the German countrymen had to tolerate with distress.