Explain the unification of Germany and its consequences.

Otto von
Bismarck, who was known as the Iron Chancellor, led the Prussian autocratic state and played a
prominent role in the unification of Germany from above throughout the 1860s. Prussia
accomplished this largely through its blood and iron policy of successful wars against Denmark
(1864), Austria (1866) and France (1870-1871). These wars effectively marginalized the German
middle class democratic politicians who had failed to realize their idea of unification of
Germany from below, through the use of peaceful democratic mechanisms and popular political
mobilization. Accordingly, most of these politicians lost their independence and instead had to
support Bismarcks aggressive foreign policy. Thus, the opposing politicians had to become
national liberals and reach a strategic compromise with the Prussian aristocracy and militarism.
This had the effect of weakening German middle class liberalism.

Bismarck
did not succeed, however, in fully integrating the...