762-767: Power of Nationalism

The German Confederation could not have been united without Bismarck’s understanding of the power of nationalism. Driven by his desire for power, Bismarck tactfully maintained his ultra-conservative values without bothering the Prussian liberals. While Bismarck did not necessarily go out of his way to compromise his values in order to please Prussian liberals, he managed to avoid revolution by appealing to the uniting factor of liberal and conservative Prussians: their nationality. Ultimately, Bismarck wanted Prussian control over the German Confederation, which, when Bismarck rose to power, was under the combined powers of Austria and Prussia. By engaging in the Seven Weeks War (1866), Bismarck was able to weaken Austria militarily and also establish a sense of Prussian pride. Austria ceded its lands to Prussia and thus allowed Bismarck to create the Northern German Confederation. Following this victory, Bismarck needed to unite Southern German states and again used nationalism as a uniting factor. Bismarck created a conflict between France and Germany in order to unite Southern Germans against France and in support of Prussia. Bismarck understood that when a nation is put in a vulnerable position, the nation is strengthened and unites in order to defeat the threat. Through military victories, Bismarck created a sense of Prussian nationalism, and this maintenance of public support allowed him to expand his power without the threat of revolution from Prussian liberals.