Otto von Bismark, according to historian Otto Pflanze, by Ari Sclar

His quest for power found its satisfaction [after 1871] in domestic affairs: the attacks upon the Center and Social Democratic parties, his manipulation of the conservative and liberal parties, his persistent and successful effort to remove from office independently minded ministers of the Prussian cabinet, his construction under his direct authority as chancellor of the Reich executive that overshadowed the Prussian cabinet and his accumulation of offices (chancellor, minister president, foreign minister, and minister of commerce). The steady ascent of his personal authority in these years led contemporaries and historians to speak of a ‘Bismarck dictatorship.’

• Historian Otto Pflanze

1. What is Pflanze’s point of view of Bismarck in the passage? Specifically, does he agree with the idea of a ‘Bismarck dictatorship’?

1. Why does Pflanze specify the year 1871 in terms of Bismarck’s domestic affairs? Be specific.

1. Cite ONE sentence from Pflanze’s passage that is connected to Bismarck saying: “I acknowledge unconditionally a right to work, and I will stand up for it as long as I am in this place.” Explain the connection between the two and how they relate to the idea of Bismarck’s realpolitik.