WWI+-+Pre+War

__Economic__
>
 * Austria**
 * Rampant capitalism and rapid, uneven economic growth centered around cities. Economic growth had begun to even out during the years right before WWI.
 * Agriculture in the east inside Hungary
 * Industrialism in the west inside Austria.

Society Class · Russia did not take a significant part in the Industrial Revolution and then remained a feudal economy until 1861, when the serfs were emancipated. · However, many of the peasant remained serfs or bound to the land because they were unable to sell their new land. They were given two choices either leave for the cities penniless, or stay on the land (basically remaining serfs). Reforms
 * Russia**
 * Russia’s prewar economy
 * Before World War I, Russia’s reforms were base on railways and industrial factories that focus on making iron, steel, and textile to strengthen their military.
 * By the 1914, Russia becomes more of an industrial economy even though the majority of the population was agricultural workers.

> In 1914, Germany was the most powerful industrial nation in Europe. The epitome of her industrial might lay in the firm of Krupp, whose first factory was built in Essen. By 1902, the factory alone had become "A great city with its own streets, its own police force, fire department and traffic laws. There are 150 kilometres of rail, 60 different factory buildings, 8,500 machine tools, seven electrical stations, 140 kilometres of underground cable and 46 overhead."
 * Germany**
 * Industrialization progressed dynamically in Germany and German manufacturers began to capture domestic markets from British imports, and also to compete with British industry abroad, particularly in the United States. The German textiles and metal industries had by the beginning of the Franco-Prussian War surpassed those of Britain in organization and technical efficiency and usurped British manufacturers in the domestic market. Germany became the dominant economic power on the continent and was the second largest exporting nation after the United States. By the turn of the century, the German metals and engineering industries would be producing heavily for the free trade market of Britain. By the time of World War I (1914–1918) the German economy had switched to supplying its military with the proper equipment needed to fight the war. This included the production of rifles (Gewehr 98), pistols (Luger P08), machine guns (Maxim machine gun), mortars (Minenwerfer), and several other heavy and light artillery pieces. Additionally, Imperial Germany was leading in the sectors of physics and chemistry so that one third of all Nobel Prizes went to German inventors and researchers.
 * The foundations of economic strength at the turn of the century were steel and coal – Germany had made great strides with both:
 * Steel production up x12 in 30 years
 * Coal production up x5in 30 years
 * Manufactures x4
 * Exports of chemicals x3
 * Exports of machinery x5

o 1873-1913 + Britain revolutionized its infrastructure, paving many highways and road systems + Gas, electricity, and water services experienced labor increases of 3% annually + Britain's industries and economic power as a whole increased 2.8% annually, 
 * Britain**
 * France**
 * economic burden from Franco-German War had been overcome
 * growing colonial period
 * rapid industrial growth
 * iron and crude steel production increased
 * railway network extended
 * banks invested in Transiberian Railroad

**__Politics__**

 * Austria**
 * Political system so convoluted that essential legislation had to be issued via decreed from the monarch. However, Franz Josef, the monarch before and during WWI, didn’t want his decrees to appear to be a coup d’état and was only willing to go so far with them. Conscription and the armed forces suffered as a result.
 * Rival nationalities made politics difficult. Any attempt to placate the nationalism of one group would anger another.
 * Bosnian Crisis (From the Beginning of WWI power point)
 * In 1908, Austria-Hungary took over the former Turkish province of Bosnia.
 * This angered Serbians who felt the province should be theirs. Serbia threatened Austria-Hungary with war, Russia, allied to Serbia, mobilized its forces. Germany, allied to Austria-Hungary mobilized its forces and prepared to threaten Russia. War was avoided when Russia backed down.
 * There was, however, war in the Balkans between 1911 and 1912 when the Balkan states drove Turkey out of the area. The states then fought each other over which area should belong to which state.
 * Austria-Hungary then intervened and forced Serbia to give up some of its acquisitions. Tension between Serbia and Austria-Hungary was high.

Most groups supported the working classes instead of the czar, but the groups that did support him had enormous power. The majority of people wanted a total reformation of government, including an abolition of the monarchy, but the small groups in power wanted to hold onto their influence. However, they claimed the justification for a static state was any change within is a sign of weakness to the outside nations wanting to take advantage of and attack Russia. The largest political group was midway between these views. They thought government reforms were needed to secure the basic freedoms of the people but did not want a parliamentary monarchy, just a democracy. After the Bolshevik Revolution, there was a large civil war, indicating the Bolsheviks were not widely hailed, although well versed in politics. The people in power of the government, nobility, and church united and fought, and converted some of the poorer classes to their cause in exchange for food and land. The vast majority of the Russia population, however, was supposedly championed by the Bolsheviks, although most of the serfs and peasants were not aware there even was a revolution.
 * Russia**


 * Germany**
 * Under Wilhelm II, the new chancellors had difficulty in performing their roles. Reforms made by Chancellor Caprivi involving trade liberalization which brought about a reduction in unemployment were supported by the Kaiser and many Germans, except for Prussian landowners, who feared loss of land and power and set up a number of anti-Caprivi campaigns against the reforms.
 * While Prussian aristocrats challenged the demands of a united German state, in the 1890s, a number of rebellious organizations were set up to challenge the authoritarian conservative Prussian militarism which was instilled on the country. The most dangerous opposition to the monarchy came from the newly formed the Social Democratic Party of Germany(SPD) in the 1890s which advocated Marxism. The threat of the SPD towards the German monarchy and industrialists caused the state to both crack down on socialist supporters as well as initiating social reforms. Germany's large industries provided significant social welfare programmes and good care to their employees as long as they were not identified as socialists or members of a trade union. Pensions, sickness benefits and even housing were provided to employees by the big industries to reduce social unease.
 * Wilhelm II, unlike Bismarck, set aside differences with the Roman Catholic Church and put the government's energy into opposing socialism at all cost.This policy failed when the Social Democrats won a third of the votes in the 1912 elections to the //Reichstag// (imperial parliament), and became the largest political party in Germany. The government remained in the hands of a succession of conservative coalitions supported by right-wing liberals or Catholic clerics and heavily dependent on the Kaiser's favour. The rising militarism under Wilhelm II caused many Germans to emigrate to the United States.

o The Great Unchanging State + Only men with property could vote + No suffrage for women or minorities whatsoever + The House of Lords can override any legislation passed in the House of Commons
 * Britain**


 * France**
 * Radicals (republicans) vs. bonapartists
 * both wanted power
 * Opportuntists sectioned off from the Radicals
 * Eventually gained power in 1899 until the Great War
 * reforms make it a more modern society
 * French Workers' Party- 1st Marxist Party in 1880
 * socialists create tension
 * 1889: a definite split between socialist and labor union body

__Social__

 * Austria**
 * Nationalities within the Hapsburg monarchy in contact with foreign governments and looking to secede especially the South Slovs in southern Hungary.
 * Nation being held together due the declining personal popularity of Franz Ferdinand, military protection, shared Catholic religion, and mutual suspicions among ethnic groups.
 * No one prevailing ethnic group existed. This lead to rivalry among the many different nationalities inside Austria. Nationalism was a serious threat the the stability of the nation.

· Ideologies:
 * Russia**

1) Marxism=man’s existence in society is predetermined to logical succession 2) Populism=private enterprise, a hatred of capitalism, and a hatred of industrialization 3) Revisionism=political opponent to Marxism: socialist society could be achieved with a revolution 4) Permanent Revolution=road to democracy was through dictatorship 5) Terrorism=only violence could force a change (People’s Freedom) · Socialist Revolutionaries were most powerful group up until 1917

1) Russia needed an armed uprising. 2) Russia needed a federal republic. 3) All private estates were to be expropriated. 4) Terror could be used to advance the cause of the Socialist Revolutionaries if it was sanctioned by the highest authority within the Socialist Revolutionaries. · The vast bulk of the Russian people were peasants and until the 1861 Emancipation they were serfs which meant that they could be bought, sold and even used as gambling payments. After this they gained their freedom but they had to pay for this in long term redemption payments to the government. They literally bought their freedom. These payments, high taxation, low prices for their grain and their very small landholdings which got smaller every year meant that there was little chance of the peasant becoming a western style farmer and supporter of the government. Also the culture of the village was against getting richer and anyone who did was suspected of being a "gangster" or "mafia" as they talk about in this century.

· The peasants had been the property of the landowners and the ease of cheap labor had not encouraged the landowners to improve their estates. Once the Serfs were freed many of the landowners used the money to live on as income and became poorer and poorer every year. Some took an active part in the local councils created by Alexander II but others did as little as possible. In the winter they left their country estates and went to Moscow or St Petersburg until the summer came round again and in the cities they did little but socialize, gossip and plot.


 * Germany**
 * German politics had been dominated by the middle classes and the aristocracy in the Second Reich. Whilst there was Universal Suffrage for men aged above 25 the real political power was very firmly in the hands of the nobility. Economic prosperity and growth led to increased urbanisation within Germany, 60% of the populace lived in towns and cities by 1910. This led to the emergence of a stronger socialist movement during the latter stages of the 19th century, though this was controlled initially by Bismarck via the introduction of welfare legislation and later through anti-socialist legislation. Much of Germany could be considered to have a military tradition at this time. The Military was of great importance to the Second Reich throughout its inception and was much loved by many of those with political power, particularly the Prussian aristocracy.

o The Great Divide + Britain was mainly divided into the working poor and wealthy + Horrible conditions existed in all labor-affiliated situations + Child labor was practiced + Utilitarian state of mind
 * Britain**


 * France**
 * French and German rivalry for Morocco
 * French gets control, but German wants to hold a conference to decide
 * At the Algeciras Conference, France is awarded the independent state of Morocco
 * still tensions build between French society and German society
 * this leds to the Franco-German War
 * France holds secret military convos with Britain
 * helps France later on it defeating Germany