Why Was Germany Unified Under Prussia and Not Under Austria?

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including the strengthening of the Prussian economy due to economic reforms and the Zollverein between 1815 and 1848, and the continued growth after this period with army and financial reforms. As well as the three wars against Denmark (1864), Austria (1866) and France (1870-71). The founding reasons behind why German was unified under Prussia and not under Austria can be found in the years leading up to 1818, where the 39 states of the Confederation all managed their own economies. The states used customs duties as a way to protect their own economy from the surrounding states, restricting the development of commercial trading between states. Finally in 1818, Prussia abandoned its domestic tariff system and due to the success as a result of the abandonment other German states followed the example of Prussia. The progress due to the abandonment of the domestic tariff system led to the establishment of the German Customs Union (or Zollverein) consisting of 18 states and 23 million people. The Zollverein continued to expand, by 1936 included 25 states with a population of 26 millions, but Austria refused to join the Zollverein, intent on remaining independent of other states in her industries and market. This led the Prussians to become dominate in economic terms in the Confederation. In 1848 Austria proposed to establish a union between Austria and the Zollverein, this was rejected. Prussia was now considered to be the state best equipped to direct the commercial fortunes with its rapidly developing economy. With the failure to establish a united democratic empire in the resolutions of 1948-49 Prussia proposed to set up a united German Empire under Prussian leadership, while Austria would be excluded from the empire, but not from German Affairs. While Austria was distracted in Piedmont and Hungary, Prussia accounted the Erfurt Union the first step in the
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