Explain why the anti-socialist law was introduced in Germany in 1878 (12 marks)

Bismarck introduced the anti-socialist laws due to a number of factors all stemming from his underlying fear of the threat of socialism and the pragmatic nature in which he found the opportunity to exploit socialism and introduce the new laws swaying the public opinion away from socialism.

One reason why Bismarck introduced the anti-socialist laws in 1878 was due to socialism being a political and social threat to the unity of the German empire and the position of the German classes e.g. the Junker class. Ever since the early 1870’s Bismarck had felt a growing alarm at the rise of socialism within Germany and was disturbed by the progress made by the socialists in the Reichstag elections with the SPD winning half a million votes and 12 seats in 1877. He knew that the SPD would impose a tremendous threat to his aim of withholding power in the hands of aristocracy and of course himself. Beside other statesmen after the Paris Commune, Bismarck dreaded one last grasp of the socialist movement on German politics. It would have given too much power to the people.

Furthermore another reason why Bismarck introduced the anti-socialistic laws was because the opportunity was provided to him with the two assassination attempts on the Kaiser in 1878. Bismarck drew no clear distinction between anarchy and socialism and therefore it is clear as to why the SPD lost support. The public alarm at the threat to the Kaiser and the newly found patriotism of the German people provided the perfect chance for Bismarck to whip up anti-socialist feeling even though both assassins had tentative links to socialism.

Ultimately Bismarck’s outlook on socialism was that it provided a threat to the social stability of Germany. His own ideological views played a role with him seeing socialism as a ‘red menace’ and the SPD as ‘Reichsfeind’(an enemy of the state)- he saw them as a fundamental threat to the social and political order and to this ‘traditional’ Germany society in which the majority of peasants showed respect and deference to the monarchy, army and Junker aristocracy. Bismarck introduced the laws in reference to this feeling and so the central government could retain power and so that he could preserve the unity of the newly formed German empire.

To conclude, Bismarck introduced the anti-socialist laws mainly due to the growing opposition they presented to Bismarck’s empire and the fact they were the new ever-present threat in Bismarck’s view to the structure of Germany socially. When the opportunity was presented to exploit and whip up anti-socialist feelings Bismarck took the chance in his pragmatic way and paved the way for the anti-socialist laws to be passed in the Reichstag. However it must not be discounted that Bismarck’s introduction of the Anti-Socialist laws also stemmed from ideological dislike- he went against the principles of socialism itself and did not want to see the SPD or socialism rise to power in Germany.