From 1890-1914 Germany continued to flourish. She became an agricultural, manufactured, industrial power in Europe. By 1914 Germany produced two-thirds of Europe’s Steel and over half its cool. She also led the way in the newer industries of Electrical goods, chemicals & steel. Agricultural production was more patchy, but overall by 1914 was producing a higher yield of crops than anywhere else in the world. The population was expanding. This provided a vast labor force and also a very strong military force. The sheer size of the German Empire also provided a substantial home market for manufactured goods, and expertise of the German banking System which granted generous long-term loans which in turn boosted investment.
The policy of Weltpolitik (world policy) emerged in 1897 consisting of three main strands: Acquire more colonial territory, create a German-dominated economic zone in central and Eastern Europe and expand the navy.
Germans foreign policy among Kaiser’s obsessive and unpredictable personality led to considerable errors of judgment, such as Daily Telegraph Affair, The first Moroccan crisis in 1905-1906, and the Second Moroccan crisis in 1911, where Germany was again demonstrating of her handed methods and her strength.
The assassination in June 1914, to the heir of Austrian throne, who was shot in Sarajevo by a Serb extremist, war was seen as inevitable, at least by the German military and swift action seemed the best option. Germany offered Austria a “blank Cheque” after the assassination, a promise of Support no matter what happened. Without this guarantee, Austria would have hesitated to declare war on Serbia and risk fighting Russia.
Kaiser’s ambitions to project German join the world stage, as Germany was, by this time a world power interns of her economic strength and the government wanted this to be reflected outside of Germany. The Blicy of Weltpolitik created tensions in Europe which certainly contributed to the First World War. But also recognize other factors for example: the legacy the role of Weltpolitik, the growth of Russian power nationalism in the Balkans and the inadequacy of German policy during the July crisis of 1914.
