The Responsive Nation State

The Responsive Nation State

Much like an elementary school in which one kid brings a Webkinz to school prompting a domino effect of other children realizing the brilliance of this move and following suit, Bismark made popular the idea of the nation-state composed in part of liberal and conservative policies. Playground politics became focused on this new point of interest and two common themes developed within the preteen cliques: mass politics and mass loyalty to the state.

Emerging Mass politics 

With these tools governments found that they could manipulate national feelings to create a sense of unity and to divert attention away from the underlying class conflicts. It is why Marx came to hate nationalism, despite its role in soclialising the government, as he considered it just as much of an opiate of the people as religion.

It is a slippery slope.

Nationalistic sentiments were worsened with the Financial Crash in 1873 as a result of agricultural development in grains outpacing economics. Farmers of most nations could not compete with imported grains and so governments reacted with protectionistic policies, raising tariffs in order to solve thier own ptaxes and public problem of competition. Protectionism promote peace and patriotism within domestic borders, but among nations it only increased hostilities between neighbors.

You have to carry your own. 

"Germany"

Bismark had done the hard work of getting Germans on the same page, but there were still some squables to settle; the most notable of which was his Kulturkamph - "struggle for civilization" - with the Catholic church. After Pope Pius IX's Declaration of Papal Infallibility 1870 that "loyalty to the church should come above loyalty to the nation," Bismark had some serious bone to pick. He understood the value of mass politics in the modern context, and activly attacked the Catholic Church for what he viewed as attempting to undermine the power of the government. Unfortunatly for Bismark, the public was on the side of the Church and Catholics voted the Catholic Center party to Parliament, which blocked passage of laws hostile to Church. Ordinarily Bismark wouldn't care about getting Parliament's approval, but he new when to fold 'em and instead of fighting he formed an uneasy alliance with the church in order that he may better unite Germany rather than isolate Catholics.

Bismark and the Church. Take your pick as to who is who. 

Speaking of groups who Bismark hated because they diverted nationalism: the socailist cause gained a huge number of wins under Bismark's Germany even though Bismark made sure that  the socialist party was sacraficed in the developement. Bismark disliked socialism as it had a philosophy that transcended borders, and so pushed through Parliament laws that outlawed Social Democratic party and strictly controlled socialist meetings and publications. However, to win over the working class majority who supportedd socialistic ideas, he implemented several important policies that greatly increased the government's involement in the well-being of the people, and was the first nation in history to enact such policies which included:

• 1883 Social security laws for wage earners 
• 1884 national sickness and accident insurance 
• 1889 Old-age pensions and retirement benefits 

Socialism could not be stopped.

And then of course, William II came into power and fired Bismark. Oddly enough, he did this because he thought Bismark was not socialist enough. Germany preceeded to go to hell.

William II was not on the ball.

France  

Speaking of Germany encouraging Nationalistm; their 1871 war with France undid all the work France had done to form some unity of the classes, leading to minor civil war. Patriotic republican rebels set up an independent Republic in Paris, known as the Paris Commune. It lasted a couple of monthes before the National Assembly noticed it, and absolutly crushed it.

Paris

Was the president of Parliment through all of this was Thiers and he kept the peace by being firm in his anti-radical approaches showing himself to be a moderate and socially conservative component of the liberal republican government.


Leon Gambetta was an important advocate for establishing parliamentary supremacy in 1877-1879. Because of this parlimentary supremacy most people in office were republicans, which was the firmest foundation of government France had in a while. Moderate Republicans during this time were able to legalize trade unions and aquire a colonial empire for France.

Moderate Republicanism 

Jerry Ferry led series of laws from 1879-1886 for compulsory elementary education for girls and for boys which expanded system of public tax supported schools. Expansion of public education was an important nation building tool for governments in the West during the late 19th century. Free public education lead to the secularization and nationalism of young children, imbuing loyalty. Encouragement of married women to become teachers illustrated a new cultural awareness in the idea that lasting political change must be supported by change in the underlying culture.

Why education is important.

The Dreyfus Affair was the court case in which the Catholic Church lost all influence in France. Alfred Dreyfus was Jewish captain in French army and was falsely accused and convicted of treason. Dreyfus was declared innocent, but because of religious involvement in his accuseation, the affair revived republican sentiment against the church. From1901-1905 - Government severs all ties with the Catholic church after having been close. Catholicism looses all power in public affairs and socialism is left as the only opposing force to republican nationalism in France.

The Church thought they were safe, they were wrong.