Economic Factors in Unification of German People in the 19th Century

Economic Factors in Unification of German People in the 19th Century

There is little debate about the factors concerned in nineteenth

century German unification, the argument commences when the most

important is put to question. To find the most important we must

surely look to the primary factors, the instigating forces, or seeds

if you will, that are required for the formation of a Nation State.

The great Bismarck was a leader that undoubtedly showed much

initiative and many would attribute the unification of the German

speakers to his efforts, but the economic necessaries came long before

the man who used them. When the various factors are combined Bismarck

appears nothing more than a clever opportunist who orchestrated a

perfect position that cannot be accredited to his efforts. Without

opposition, at least not powerful, Bismarck could not fail to succeed

and, in his own words, "man cannot create the current of events. He

can only float with it and steer"[1].

In contradiction to Bismarck's own claim and putting emphasis on an

economic footing, J.M.Keynes wrote in 1919 that "the German Empire was

not founded on blood and iron, but coal and iron"[2]. The term

'economic' encompasses many sub-factors and one of these would have to

be the gift of natural resources and, more importantly, the use of

them. The growth of Prussia's, already militaristic superiority over

the other scattered states, was accelerated further due to the

division of the German states and the creation of border countries

following Napoleon's defeat in 1815. This a prime example of a step

towards the unification of the German speaking people, without a

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...mbridge, p.14.

[3] Quoted in, Waller, Bruce., "Germany: independence and unification"

in, Waller, Bruce (ed)., (1990), Themes in Modern European History,

Unwin Hyman, London, p.113.

[4] Treaty establishing the Zollverien, Quoted in, Gorman, Michael.,

(1989), "The Unification of Germany", Cambridge University Press,

Cambridge, p.31.

[5] Waller, Bruce., "Steam: revolution in warfare and the economy" in,

Waller, Bruce (ed)., (1990), Themes in Modern European History, Unwin

Hyman, London, p.238.

[6] Waller, Bruce., "Germany: independence and unification" in,

Waller, Bruce (ed)., (1990), Themes in Modern European History, Unwin

Hyman, London, p.115.

[7] Waller, Bruce., "Germany: independence and unification" in,

Waller, Bruce (ed)., (1990), Themes in Modern European History, Unwin

Hyman, London, p.114.