A parliamentary democracy consist s of a government both drawn from and accountable to the Parliament in any nation-state. The debate of what extent Germany, in the years 1900-1914, was a parliamentary democracy or not can draw up a simple conclusion based on substantial evidence.
Von Bismarck’s constitution worked in a way that the Kaiser, whilst being head of state, had to obey and work within the constitutional framework. This included legislation only being passed after consent from the Reichstag had been given. For instance, Von Bulow’s policies of Flottenpolitik and Protectionism needing laws to have been passed in order to progress. The respective Naval Laws 1900 and 1906 and the Tariff Law 1902 were passed in Germany, but only through …show more content…
Both Von Bulow and Bethmann-Hollweg knew that in order to be successful chancellors, they had to attract the suffrage efficiently, and Von Bulow’s reforms did that. Between 1900 and 1908, Von Bulow had made social reforms by expanding on Bismarck’s Welfare Policies through the Accident Insurance and Sickness Insurance expansions, and the laws to restrict the hours of child labour in their respective years. This led to success in both the 1903 and 1907 elections as the Conservative/National Liberal coalition maintained a majority in the universal male suffrage. While Bethmann-Hollweg’s reforms hadn’t led to a similar success to that of Von Bulow in the 1912 election, he had also made reforms to the Welfare Policy via the 1911 Imperial Insurance Code. In the same year, Bethmann-Hollweg also introduced constitution to the Alsace-Lorraine region. Both Chancellors were good at meeting the pressurising demands that the different social and political groups in and out of the Reichstag made which showed that a Germany being a parliamentary democracy was a
Von Bismarck’s constitution worked in a way that the Kaiser, whilst being head of state, had to obey and work within the constitutional framework. This included legislation only being passed after consent from the Reichstag had been given. For instance, Von Bulow’s policies of Flottenpolitik and Protectionism needing laws to have been passed in order to progress. The respective Naval Laws 1900 and 1906 and the Tariff Law 1902 were passed in Germany, but only through …show more content…
Both Von Bulow and Bethmann-Hollweg knew that in order to be successful chancellors, they had to attract the suffrage efficiently, and Von Bulow’s reforms did that. Between 1900 and 1908, Von Bulow had made social reforms by expanding on Bismarck’s Welfare Policies through the Accident Insurance and Sickness Insurance expansions, and the laws to restrict the hours of child labour in their respective years. This led to success in both the 1903 and 1907 elections as the Conservative/National Liberal coalition maintained a majority in the universal male suffrage. While Bethmann-Hollweg’s reforms hadn’t led to a similar success to that of Von Bulow in the 1912 election, he had also made reforms to the Welfare Policy via the 1911 Imperial Insurance Code. In the same year, Bethmann-Hollweg also introduced constitution to the Alsace-Lorraine region. Both Chancellors were good at meeting the pressurising demands that the different social and political groups in and out of the Reichstag made which showed that a Germany being a parliamentary democracy was a