Beyond Good and Evil? The German Empire 1871 and Modern Germany Historiography

This article by far has been the most interesting and enlightening than anything we have read thus far. The many theories and contrasting opinions lead to a very insightful look at Germany in 1871. First the article starts off the Wehler and Kocka and their views of the Empire which follow that of Kehr and Rosenberg. They discuss the imbalance between the economy and politics and how there needs to be a modern Germany but without democracy or Parliament. They describe the political aspects of Germany under Bismark as a bonapartist half democracy, which would later be changed to a authoritian polygracy of competing centers of power after Bismark resigns. They contribute the weakness of the empire to the weak liberals. Next come Hillgruber and Hiderbrand Strumer who are interested totally in the geographics and how it has affected Germany both negatively and positively. However according to them Bismark has been a good savior, he has made the best decisions possible with what he had. He has kept Germany together all because he understands the geopolitics. The liberals however did not understand geopolitics and therefore needed to be oppressed. Then you have Bielfeld who speaks about the problem is with the modern economy and how it is still an aristorcratic feudal political system. And again the liberals are failures and weak because they make a poor choice with the aristocracy. And they also see Bismark not as a savior but rather as an evil bonapartist who caused liberal failure. So with those being the Marxist theories we next come to the Neo Marxist ideas. The neo marxist say that political modernization did not occur in the Empire because Germany had not undergone its liberal political revolution and that the empire had capitulated politically to a feudal aristocracy. They also make clear that whoever assumes that aristocracy is feudal and that bourgeoisie is liberal are completely wrong. According to the neo's this has nothing to do with the historical reality. The article also talks about Mommsen neglected decisions and how the rise of mass politics led to destabilization. And also how the liberals had no mass appeal. And finally ritter and Nipperady are discussed. The article overall helped me understand a little more about Germany. It gave me some background information and I really enjoyed and understood it.