Why Germany Unified Under Prussia and Not Austria

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Germany unifies under Prussia instead of Austria because 1) Economically powerful 2) Politically Progressive/ Competent political leadership 3) Militarily Advanced Economically powerful: -1818: Prussia formed Zollverein * Customs union that dropped internal tariffs Austria did not abolish internal tariffs until 1829 * Stimulated trade * By 1854 all German states except Austria had joined * Austria is excluded * Caused Prussian economy to boom/strengthen * Industrialization: booming steel production (ex. Krupp factory) * Prussia’s population had increased by 87% and was double Austria’s pop. more manual labor, more workers for factories * Created closer ties with Prussia and the German states * Enriched Prussia and encouraged development of infrastructure with Prussia and other states (ex. Railroads) Austria remained agrarian Prussia’s debt= 11% and Austrian debt= 26% * From putting down revolutions in 1830 and 1848 in Italian States and being defeated in Austro- Italian War, Austria had much larger debts! Analysis: * Other German states look to Austria as an economic leader * Helped to support military in time ($$$) * Industrial base to create weaponry (triumph in war over Austria 1866) Politically Progressive/ Superior Leadership: * Prussia: embraces reforms of Napoleon; Changes in Prussia from 1806-1813: * Scharmhorst and Gneisenau recognize army to allow non-nobles (similar to Napoleon’s ‘Careers Open to Talent’) * Landwehr created= citizens army * Von Humbold creates a new education system separate from church * After revolution in Berlin in 1848, King Frederick William IV of Prussia granted his people a constitution: * Constitution of 1850= progressive (constitutional monarchy) * Two house legislature * 1) House of
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