The Growth of Socialism in Pre-war Germany (AQA GCSE History)
Revision Note
Written by: Zoe Wade
Reviewed by: Natasha Smith
How much of a threat was socialism to Germany before the First World War? - Summary
Before the First World War, socialism became very popular in Germany, especially among workers who wanted better rights and fairer working conditions. The main socialist party in Germany, the Social Democratic Party (SPD), became the largest party in the Reichstag. Many ordinary Germans supported the SPD because they were unhappy with low wages, long working hours, and poor living conditions. The SPD campaigned for changes like better working conditions, health insurance and pensions, which were especially appealing to workers.
Despite the SPD's popularity, the Kaiser still had a lot of control over the government. Kaiser Wilhelm II did not like socialism and saw it as a threat to his authority. As such, the Kaiser tried to limit the influence of the SPD and its ideas. The German government even introduced some worker-friendly policies to make people less likely to support socialism. However, many Germans still wanted more democratic reforms. Although the SPD was powerful in the Reichstag, the Kaiser's control meant that socialism did not have as much impact on Germany’s government as it could have.
What is socialism?
Socialism was a developing idea from Germany in the 19th century
Socialism was a theory about:
who should be in charge of a country
how businesses should be allowed to operate
how the people of a country should be treated
Key beliefs of socialism
Examiner Tips and Tricks
AQA GCSE Germany, 1890–1945 does not require you to have a detailed knowledge of socialism. You just need to know its core beliefs about the government, money and people.
Why did socialism grow in pre-war Germany?
Socialism became a popular belief among the working classes by the 1900s
Two factors influenced the growth of socialism:
the conditions in towns and cities
trade unions
The conditions in towns and cities
Industrialisation caused more Germans to move to towns and cities for work
An increase in the population in towns and cities meant that:
workers lived in substandard housing
there were more workers than available jobs. This caused:
an increase in poverty and unemployment
low wages for workers who found jobs
employers not attempting to improve working conditions as workers who complained could be replaced
Socialism promised to improve the lives of the working classes
Trade unions
A trade union is an organisation that represents the people who work in a particular industry to protect their rights
In the 1900s, workers formed trade unions in various industries across Germany
By 1914, around three million workers were members of trade unions
Trade unions organised strikes
Strikes would negatively impact the economy
This would place pressure on the government to improve the workers' pay and conditions
Socialism promoted the creation of trade unions
The Social Democratic Party (SPD)
In the late 1880s, a new socialist political party formed called the Social Democratic Party (SPD)
Key aims of the SPD
Why did socialism scare the German government?
The popularity of socialism became clear to the German government
The SPD became the largest political party in the Reichstag by 1912
Around one in every three Germans were voting for the SPD
Some Germans became extreme in their socialist views
Extreme socialists argued for:
a revolution to overthrow the Kaiser
worker's councils to run towns and cities
If unchallenged, extreme socialism could damage the foundations of the Kaiser's Germany
Examiner Tips and Tricks
An exam question may ask you to explain if socialism or the government system had the biggest problem that the Kaiser faced before 1914. This is a 12-mark question that would require you to:
P - make a point about the question
E - use evidence that supports the point that you have made
E - explain why this evidence caused an issue for the Kaiser. Avoid repeating the point again. Explain how this factor caused future problems for the Kaiser's rule of Germany
L - link your explanation back to the question by stating how significant this factor was for the Kaiser
concluding your thoughts with a reflection on key concepts. You should consider short- and long-term consequences, as well as their importance and impact. For example, the government system meant that the people had limited political power. You could argue that this is the most important reason. Without this system, socialism may not have become as influential as it did.
Our exam skills pages give further guidance and advice on the 'bullet point' question
Social reforms in pre-war Germany
The government reacted to the growing level of socialism by introducing social reforms such as:
old-age pensions (1889)
minimum wage (1891)
restrictions on child labour (1891)
arbitration courts (1901)
extension of health insurance (1903)
Impact of social reforms
Positive impacts
Supported by the Junkers and industrialists
The Kaiser listened to the SPD and made limited reforms
There were some improvements in working conditions
Workers became happier and more loyal to the Kaiser
Negative impacts
The poor and unemployed were still living in extreme poverty and received no government help
Support for the SPD remained high
Some Germans still wanted a revolution in Germany
Last updated:
You've read 0 of your 5 free revision notes this week
Sign up now. It’s free!
Did this page help you?
