Socialism also developed in Germany along with the industrial development. Bismarck was totally against Socialism. On the one hand, he wanted to grant concessions to the labourers to satisfy them and on the other, he got passed anti-socialist laws to crush the rising current of socialism. William II treated the socialists liberally.
He did not execute the old laws against the socialists. He was of the opinion that the influence of the socialists would decrease by itself, in case the condition of the labourers was improved.
Taking an advantage of the liberal attitude of the Emperor, William Kaiser II, the socialists began to organise themselves and they achieved great success.
William II was astonished to see this state of affairs. He proposed to the imperial Reichstag to enact anti-socialist laws once again but the proposal was rejected which frustrated William II and he, addressing his soldiers, once declared:
ADVERTISEMENTS:
“If the socialist agitation continued mounting and gathering momentum it is possible that I be forced to order the shooting of my own relations and it will be your prime duty to carry out that implicitly.”
His speech was opposed everywhere and the number of sod representatives began to increase in each successive election, strengthened the position of socialists. They began to demand a democratic government in place of autocratic rule. It terrified William Kaiser II.
He wanted to pass an anti-socialist law to repress them but was also rejected by the Parliament. Though the power of socialists v on increasing, they could never form their cabinet.