Question

Why did Bismarck try to limit the influence of the Catholic Church and socialists?

Answer 1

A. He felt they drew people's allegiance away from the German state.

Answer 2

The correct option is: A. He felt they drew people's allegiance away from the German state.

Otto von Bismarck was a German statesman and politician, the architect of German unification and one of the key figures in international relations during the second half of the 19th century.

Bismarck's internal policy was based on a regime of authoritarian power, despite the appearance of constitutional and universal suffrage to neutralize the middle classes (Federal Constitution of 1871). Initially he governed in coalition with the liberals, focusing on counteracting the influence of the Catholic Church (Kulturkampf) and on favoring the interests of the big landowners through a free trade economic policy; in 1879 he broke with the liberals and allied himself with the Catholic Center Party, adopting protectionist positions that favored German industrial growth. In that second period he focused his efforts on curbing the German labor movement, which he outlawed by passing the Antisocialist Laws, while trying to attract workers with the most advanced social legislation at the time.