Bismarck And German Unification

Paper Summary:

Discusses Otto von Bismarck's political goals. German nationalism and Prussian hegemony over the German states. His brilliant statesmanship. His early ambitions and principles. His role as Prussia's minister president and minister of foreign affairs. Impact of his "iron and blood" speech. His domestic and external concerns. Difficulties of unification.

From the Paper:

"Otto von Bismarck (1815-98) became Prussia's minister president and minister of foreign affairs in 1862. At the time he undoubtedly seemed like one of the last men who would preside over the unification of the German states--a goal associated with liberalism and nationalism but not with Junker aristocrats. But by 1871, due primarily to his diplomacy and his overwhelming pragmatism, this is what had happened. The "Iron Chancellor" was, however, famously difficult to read and it has long been debated whether he had any interest in German nationalism or if the entire effort simply disguised the desire for Prussian hegemony over the German states. Bismarck managed to cut off the Austrian rulers' hopes for leadership of a unified Great Germany and ensured that a "Bismarckian (Prusso-Little German) version of unification" won out (Hobsbawm 273). Did Bismarck have a grand ..."

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