Sammlungspolitik

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Sammlungspolitik is a domestic policy of Kaiser Wilhelm II during his rule in Germany. It means 'collection policy', signifying that Germany was not really controlled by the Kaiser, but by the influence of four main groups in Germany. These inflential groups are the Junkers (landowners), the army, industrialists and right wing pressure groups.

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[edit] Junkers

The Junker's influence, also known as The Agrarian League, was very influential during this time. The Prussian system was elected in a system which favoured them and allowed them to control the government of Prussia. As Prussia was the largest state in the Empire, more Prussians were elected into the Bundesrat and these were mainly Junkers. The Prussian Junkers held 17 seats in the Bundesrat, and 14 votes were needed for a veto. This gave them over-all power in the Bundesrat, meaning they could control which laws were passed and which were refused. They used this power to block reforms that did not benefit them and to protect the interests of agriculture. [1]

[edit] Army

The Army League of 1912 knew that if Germany found itself in any wars, the army was be crucial. They exploited this to get little 'favours', and as the Kaiser was head of the army, a position he took very seriously, and was obsessed by them, he filled the court with generals. It has been suggested by historians that during 1914, the army leaders had more influence than the Chancellor in 1914. The army used their influence to apply pressure on the Reichstag to pass the army bills of 1912 to 1913.

[edit] Industrialists

The Pan German League of 1891 tried to gain support for Wilhelm's Weltpolitik as a means of securing markets for Germany's manufactures and sources of raw materials. Their fear of socialism caused them to have Weltpolitik in their favour as the appeal to German nationalism, they hoped, would divert support from Socialism.

[edit] Right-Wing Pressure Groups

The Kaiser had a strong right-wing viewpoint due to his obsession with the army, which these groups could exploit to get their own views across

[edit] References

  1. ^ "History, Modern British and European, publisher: Letts"