Treaty of Berlin x Weltpolitik
Over the past few weeks, our History class has been digging in and analyzing the relationships as well as causes of tension and conflict between the European Powers, which led up to World War One. This has led me to discover some further insight, as to how Germany came to became one of the greatest influential powers throughout foreign affairs of the 18th century within Europe.
Otto Von Bismarck was Germany’s Chancellor whose impact is most recognizable between the years of 1860-1890, specifically with the successful unification of Eastern Europe, winning the alliances of Austria-Hungary, Russia, as well as Italy. Germany’s ever growing power was beginning to extend its reaches to the colonies of Africa, leading to the establishment of Weltpolitik by Bismarck. It’s main purpose to denote Germany’s policy abroad within foreign affairs. It can also be referred to as an aggressive take on German diplomacy leading up to World War One. Bismarck wished to practice Weltpolitik, in order to acquire allies as he expected that Germany was on the precipice of war, despite the new Kaiser William II seizing it as an opportunity to boost Germany’s new identity in addition to its industrial expansion.
Although Bismarck saw the colonies as an unnecessary luxury for Germany, the Kaiser sought to join the more influential colonizers of France and Britain, by obtaining their own fraction of Africa. Still to do so without causing unrest between the European Colonizers in the race for territory, he called for a conference, otherwise known as The Treaty of Berlin in 1873; in which the countries could diplomatically discuss and compromise on how to divvy the continent amongst themselves. The main concerns being how to fraction trade routes, more precisely along the Niger and Congo rivers, as well as regulate and decide what spheres of influence each colonizer would control. This led to the division of Africa into a new 50 unnatural and artificial states. The Treaty of Berlin not only gave Germany a lead in the Scramble for Africa as they became one of the main dictators in the rush for territory, as well as it only fortified the idea of Weltpolitik as their economy gained from their great resource; inclusive of economical, social, and political, of the colonies. Germany’s foreign policy based on a model of racial superiority, no longer postulated but proven through the expansion of its territories in other parts of the world, fortifying the indication of the nation’s abilities.
Hi Nardos, I agree with you about Germany being a powerful European country at the time, and then causing the Treaty of Berlin to gain colonies in Africa. Because it relates to the German foreign policy. But how would you explain the Treaty of Berlin having an impact on the cause of WWI? I think you could have included something about the Moroccan Crisis to support your argument about the Treaty of Berlin. Otherwise it was a great post, because it helped me understand some of the reason why Germany wanted new territories.
“It does seem as if the more one gets the more one wants” – Louisa May Alcott
This article was really easy to read, I’m sure even someone with little knowledge about history could still understand. I really liked Bismarck, he unified Germany and got them 3 allies. It’s too bad that William II completely went off on his own, wanting more powerful alliances and more territory. It should’ve been obvious to Germany that by expanding and getting stronger so quickly would agitate the other Europeans powers.
I think you explained the issue with Germany and it’s advances really well but it would be even better if you made direct and clear connections as to how it led to WWI. For example, Germany’s participation in the race for colonies created conflict with France. Later when Germany wanted to avoid fighting a two front war, and France wanted to take back Alsace Lorraine, the fighting began. And their allies would join in on the fighting which led to WWI.
This is a very important aspect of modern Africa and why you find situations like The Gambia in the middle of Senegal. The treaty of Berlin resulted in some very strange boundary lines being drawn. When living in or dealing with Africa, everyone should have an understanding of the Treaty of Berlin to understand why Africa functions, or does not function, the way it does.
Hi Nardos,
It’s good to see that you are thinking more deeply about Germany’s foreign policy and how that impacted the world before the First World War. Bismarck was indeed hugely influential on during the later part of the 1800s, but Weltpolitik is usually attributed to the Kaiser, not Bismarck whose foreign policy objectives were much more subtle than those of Weltpolitik.
There have been multiple Treaties of Berlin over the centuries, and the one you are referring to dates from 1885, and is the epitome of imperialism. European nationalism and alliance system definitely come into play here, but are not elaborated upon in the blog post. I agree with previous comments about suggesting more explicit connections in the post to the causes of the First World War.
Hey Nardos!
Your explanation is nice and short. It clearly explains the reasons for the events dealing with the Treaty of Berlin and the cause of colonies in Africa. However, I’m not quite sure where you are going here. I feel that there is really something lacking.
” The Treaty of Berlin not only gave Germany a lead in the Scramble for Africa as they became one of the main dictators in the rush for territory, as well as it only fortified the idea of Weltpolitik as their economy gained from their great resource…”
So what? Is there some kind of significance to this? In your introduction, you talk of how your class has studied the relationships and tensions that led to World War I, though you didn’t explain too much about it in your actual body paragraphs. Because your explanation lacks evident connection between what you learnt about the causes of WWI, it makes it lack significance in my opinion.
I hope my comment was of some help! 🙂
Adding on to my “so what,” it leads to racial superiority? So what? It fortifies the indication of the nation’s abilities? So what? Make it significant! 🙂