6. the industrial revolution

Recap: of topic 5

• Cultural - music, monuments, art = idea of 'Germaness'

• The beginning of economic integration preceded the foundating of the German Kaiserreich (customs union, Zollverein)

• Prussian economic success: overtakes Austria In undustrial output from the 1850s

• Environmental consequences were evidently turbulent: widspread use of coal + later oil-powered machinery led to a stark increase in C02 emissions.

The industrial revolution:

• Not evenly distributed - some historians find the word 'revolution' not very relevant

• Prussian lords continued to play a significant role in land and the Kaissereich

• Indsutrialisation remained partial and patchy

• Change toom time - everything started accelerating, life became faster

• Literacy rates improved -> technological advancements improved progress thinking about the world (optimistic)

• Coal output grew significantly

• Industrial take off (first phase) railways were symbolic

• Second take off - 70s-ww1 included sector with electricity, street lights, how people lived their lives

• Prior to ww1, Germany became the number 1 country in industrialisation

Preconditions of Industrial change:

• Population growth: grew from 30.7-> 47.6M 1816-65: more people to work at a lower price

• Proto-industrialisation = semi-modern manufacturing methods. Rural families alternated between work at home and then fields: make toys, knives, clocks, textiles

  • Merchants would give them materials then pay for the output

  • However; couldn’t compete with factory work internationally, largely declined as factories skyrocketed

• Customs union: removed tariff borders between different German states:

  • Excluded Austria (refused to join due to protectionist analogy with huge markets within the Austrian empire itself)

  • Created a domestic market free of tariffs

  • Helped Prussian dominance accelerate around the union: advantage over Austria

  • Natural resources in the Rhineland - transported thru a river, but the rivers in Germany didn’t flow well: RAILWAY!!!!

However:

• Number of states continued to oppose Prussian dominance

• Loyalty was not just given to Prussia: Bavaria supported Austria in Prusso-Austrian war

Locomotive railway:

• In the 19th century, Prometheus became a method for new industrialisation, was used to liberate manking from natural restrains.

• Men hence can conquer nature

• Optimistic thinking that men can create rivers to go faster, electricity etc:

  • Would lead to progress and wealth, acceleration in life

• Railway did take off in 1850 - single lines became interconnected

Impact:

• Connected distant markets: places which were isolated were now connected

• Circle of product of industrial technology - consumed raw materials + finished goods

• Coal and steal was in constant demand

• Reduced cost and ease of transportation + labour

Other areas of econ growth: positives + negatives

• Construction boom

• Increase of coal + steal production

• Expansion of textile industry

• Boom in heavy manufacturing

• New means of communication (steamer, telegraph)

Change: positive

• Railway made people more connected - progression

• Control nature, conquer nature

• Provided employment for the unemployed

• Was exposed to the economy - trade cycles as it moves up the continent, but also can see when the progression bursts

But: negatives

• Air pollution - smelting works paid compensation to pollution victims

• Coal mining - ground depressions

• Coal dust washed into rivers

• Acid rain from coal

• Grimm story = forest connected Germans, important of being German, forest are destroyed though?

• People in factories were intoxicated by toxic mercury, silver (lack of protection was available)

Panic of 1873: depression in Europe and North America: Long depression

• Bursting of several railroads, real estate

• German empire got capital from France as reparations HOWEVER concluded payment of 1873 led to German economy collapsing

• Wgae cuts + lay offs evident

• Families depended on wage incomes became vulnerable (couldn’t reply on second line aka subsistence agriculture)

• Money people received in wages rising was barely enough to exist upon

• No unemployment insurance, poor depended on charity

• Low skilled workers lived and worked in horrid conditions

• Homes were inadequate = increased diseases

Urbanisation:

• Pull factor to move to cities as attracted to better paid work

• Experienced enormous growth was apparent

  • Construction of housing Barracks

  • People would share a bed in these apartments

Rise of social democracy:

• Working class was developing a set of consciousness

• Divided by gender, age, religion, region and ethnicity

• Not a working class in the sense of a marxist one = they were developing awareness towards their conditions and disadvantages, thus wanted stability

• Growth of the SPD = founded in 1869 but merged in 1890

• General German workers association 1863

• Initially, only 2 socialists in Reichstag 1871; 35 in 1890

• Bismarck believed socialism a threat to the authoritarian state; they were seen in his eyes as "country's rats and should be exterminated"

  • Didn’t believe they were apart of this new German empire or showcased Germaness, believed they were enemies of the country

Anti socialist laws + social insurance laws:

• Tries to get many through but parliament declines

• Assassination attempts on Willhelm:

  • Political surveillance

  • Opression of press

  • Baned the SPD 1878 and trade union orgazanised - able to represent themselves as independent political apponents

Otto Von Bismark:

Socialist organisations banned 1878–1890

• Newspapers censored

• Activists imprisoned or exiled.

Interpretation:
The German state attempted to suppress socialism while maintaining political control over workers.

Introduction of social insurance policies:

• Sickness insurance law 1883

• Accident insurance law 1884

• Old age and disability insurance 1889

  • Regardless of Bismarks laws: SPD continued to dominate the country heavily:

    • Pride in the country

    • Bigger after the evident silencing

    • Working class members dedicated themselves to social democracy

 

Historian Stephen Brophy - Article on German economic transformation

Argument:
Germany’s economy did not suddenly industrialise, but underwent a gradual transition from agrarian society to industrial capitalism.

Evidence he uses:

• Agricultural production rose 174% (1800–1870)

• Railways stimulated coal, iron, and steel industries

• Proto-industrial rural textile production connected villages to global markets

• Urbanisation and factory labour expanded after 1845

Interpretation:
Germany was not economically “backward” but experienced a complex transition from agriculture → proto-industry → industrial capitalism.

however:

• Limited focus on social and gender issues

• Little discussion of political factors (literacy, ideology)

• Relies heavily on secondary statistics.

Hans-Joachim Voth, 2014 - economics

Argument:
The Zollverein may not have significantly boosted German economic growth.

Evidence:

• Customs union encouraged states to buy Prussian products

• Did not necessarily create the most efficient markets.

Interpretation:
Economic nationalism sometimes distorted free market development.

Stefan Berger, 2019 - industrialisation

Argument:
Industrialisation created major social divisions within the working class.

Evidence:

• Skilled workers often became white-collar employees

• Social Democracy mainly represented skilled workers (“labour aristocracy”)

• Unskilled workers created alternative movements.

Interpretation:
The working class was not politically unified.

Population Growth - industrialisation

Evidence:

• 1871 → 41 million

• 1891 → 49.7 million

• 1911 → 65.3 million

Meaning:
Industrialisation caused rapid population growth and urban expansion.

agricultrual growth - industrialisation

Evidence:

• Arable land increased 40% (1820–1860)

• Agricultural production increased 174% (1800–1870).

Meaning:
Germany modernised agriculture before industrialisation.

industrial growth

Evidence:

• Industrial workforce doubled between 1887–1914

• Germany became 4th largest industrial nation by 1871.

Meaning:
Rapid industrial expansion after mid-19th century.

Effects of Industrialisation on Workers

• Migration to coal regions (Rhineland, Westphalia)

• Strict factory discipline (fines for lateness)

• Unemployment meant falling below the poverty line.

Interpretation:
Industrialisation improved production but created harsh working conditions and insecurity.