10th Class Social Science The Rise of Nationalism in Europe Question Bank The Rise of Nationalism Europe - HOTS Questions

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    Examine the role of Prussia in German unification. Do you agree with the statement that Prussian conservatives were able to generate nationalism by promoting state power and achieving political domination over Europe?

    Answer:

    The process of German unification:
    (i) By 1848, the popular effort failed to succeed in installing constitutional monarchy in Germany.
    (ii) Failure of Frankfurt Parliament made it clear that German unification had to come through combined effort of monarchy and military supported by large landowners.
    (iii) From 1848, Prussia took on the leadership of the movement of national unification.
    (iv) In this process. Otto von Bismarck, the Chief Minister of Prussia, proved to be the main architect. He reached his goal with the help of Prussian army and the bureaucracy. He fought three wars in seven years - with Austria, Denmark and France which ended in Prussian victory and completed the process of German unification.
    On 18th Jan. 1871, an assembly comprising the princes of German states, representatives of the army, important Prussian Ministers including Otto von Bismarck gathered in the Hall of Mirrors in the Palace of Versailles to proclaim the new German Empire headed by Kaiser William I of Prussia. The erstwhile German confederation consisting of 39 states now was united into one empire through the effort of Bismarck under the leadership of Prussia. The failure of the Frankfurt Parliament proved that unification of Germany had to be achieved by combining forces of monarchy and military. Bismarck was the architect of this process. With the support of bureaucracy and army, Bismarck fought three wars in seven years which ended in Prussian victory and completed the process of unification. People supported his efforts?the conservative forces thus were able to generate national feelings.


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