Plato

Analyze the Making of the Modern German State. Your answer must include a discussion of the geographical settings and critical junctures.
Geographical setting – Germany located in central Europe is the second largest in all of Europe with a population of 82 million. It is divided into 16 federal states. Religion mostly Roman Catholic/Protestant. 54% of Germany’s land is consumed by production of agriculture. Since the Industrial   Revolution many of Germany’s external relationships both commercial , military and resources they lack have been with national borders.  
Critical Junctures
Nationalism+ Germany’s unification 1806-71
Germany was unified as a nation state under Prussia leadership, Otto von Bismark. The process of unification began in 1806. Napoleon invaded Germany and consolidated some principalities.
Second Reich 1871-1918
Semi-authoritarian regime: constitutional monarchy, government was controlled by Chancellor, appointed and removed by emperor, not accountable to parliament. German Empire was a federation of stated that had powerful parliaments. The German Parliament, the Reichstag, was not being able to play a major role in governing the new nation state. The first German Chancellor Otto von Bismark   assembled the coalition of the landowners and the industrialists. His enemies were the church.   Socialist parties and the labor organization. He encouraged the industrial to secure a powerful position for Germany. Germany was involved in WW1 and were defeated therefore were in dept .   Consequences: Treaty of Versailles  
Weimer Republic   1919-1933
Democratic regime.   Pact between the Social Democratic party and Conservative party and changed from a institutional monarchy and liberal democracy. However because of economic problems (inflation, depression, legacies ofWW1and discontent with treaty)undermines legitimacy of regime. Many Germans become disappointed with democracy and want to go back to old regime.
The Third Reich 1933-45
Hitler and his...