Kaiser Wilhelm and German Government
When Germany unified in 1871, the Prussian king became the Kaiser (emperor) of this new powerful nation. The government looked democratic on paper, but Wilhelm held the real power.
The parliamentary system included the Chancellor (chief minister), the Bundesrat (state representatives), and the Reichstag (elected parliament). Whilst these bodies could debate and vote on laws, the Kaiser could simply ignore their advice whenever he wanted.
Kaiser Wilhelm II was obsessed with military power - he'd spent his youth in the army and took massive pride in leading German forces. His Prussian background meant militarism was absolutely central to his thinking. Most importantly, he dreamed of making Germany a global empire that could challenge Britain's dominance.
Key Point: The Kaiser's military obsession and imperial ambitions would drive most of his major policy decisions, setting Germany on a collision course with other European powers.
