Otto Von Bismarck: Villain Otto von Bismarck grew up in an era, in which imperialism and absolutism were not new ideas. His policies paralleled those of many early absolute monarchs. Before he came to power, Germany was made of divided states, who shared culture and tradition. He began his political career as a Prussian diplomat, but ascended the ranks and became the prime minister of Prussia. He became known for his ruthless tactics and extreme military endeavors. He later became the imperial chancellor of Germany, chosen by the former king of Prussia, Wilhelm I. Global leaders began to recognize him as a threat to their rules and a menace to the global community. Otto von Bismarck used the unification of Germany to strengthen Prussia, limiting …show more content…
He believed that the best form of government was an absolute monarchy, because the ruler was able to efficiently make decisions. For example, he made Wilhelm I the first Kaiser of Germany. The idea of democracy was uncommon in Germany; Bismarck is, “the primary cause of Germany’s failure to embrace liberalism and democracy before 1918.” He forced the German people to accept his ideals. As Imperial Chancellor, he made many decisions without the consent of Parliament. For example, citing a gap in the constitution, he used a tax to support his military reforms, without the consent of Parliament. Bismarck became a power vacuum, and “he did not adhere to popular sovereignty and allowed the balance of power to be broke down in his favor.” He used royal decrees to undermine the people’s officials. When he attempted to unify Germany and when he helped rule Prussia, he took the people's power for himself. His aggressive foreign outlook and support for absolutism made it impossible for Germany to welcome the new liberal and democratic ideals, which consumed the rest of western Europe. He limited people’s say in the government, giving himself the majority of the power, which he then used to exercise militaristic