Germany in the late 19th – early 20th century: the founding of the empire
On 18 January 1871 at Versailles the monarchs of the German states proclaimed the Prussian king Wilhelm I German Emperor; Prussia held 2/3 of the territory and 60 percent of the population. Under the 1871 imperial constitution the highest bodies were the Federal Council (Bundesrat) and the Reichstag; some states kept their own Landtags, but Prussia dominated. The emperor declared war and peace, was commander-in-chief, appointed the chancellor and could dissolve parliament. The first chancellor, Otto von Bismarck, led the government in 1871–1890 and was nicknamed the “Iron Chancellor”. The Reichstag was elected by universal suffrage, but only men aged 25 and over could vote. In the 1870s–80s the economy grew fast, helped by a single home market, one currency and system of measures, the indemnity from France, Lorraine’s iron ore and the Saar coal, modern technology and military orders. By 1914 industry had grown 7 times compared with 1871 and Germany ranked second after the USA; in the chemical industry it became the world leader.
“Right to vote”: compare in two columns who could vote in Germany in 1871 and who can vote in Uzbekistan today.