How the figures were authoritarian and democratic

The Kaiser was authoritarian because:

• He claimed he had the divine right to rule: 'there is only one Ruler in the Reich and I am he.'
• `He had military values.
• He had the right to appoint and dismiss the Chancellor and his state secretaries, completely independent of the Reichstag's wishes.
• He pushed Germany into the Royal Navy.

However, the Kaiser was democratic (not authoritarian) because:

• His social and ceremonial duties meant that he was absent from Berlin for long periods of time.
• So he didn't have command of the detail of the government's work.
• He didn't really excersise his power until something bad would happen where he would interfer and make things worse. 

The Chancellors were authoritarian because:

• The Chancellor made the decisions and contributed in the law making process. 

However, the Chancellors were not authoritarian because:

• They were essentially civil swervants to trick Germans into thinking it was democratic.
• The Kaiser interfered with their power.
• They didn't dominate the German political scene as Bismarck had done.
• Political survival was dependednt on showing loyalty to the Kaiser and doing his will.
• So they were the Kaiser's puppets in other words.
• Chancellors changed a lot so they weren't many figurative Chancellors after Bismarck.
• They were appointed and dismissed by the Kaiser so they weren't very democratic this way. 

The Bundesrat were not authoritarian because:

• After 2 years of rulling, the bills were discussed by the main political parties, instead of the Bundesrat.
• It declined influence. 

The Bundesrat was democratic because:

• They were voted in.

The Reichstag and parties was authoritarian because:

• They had great influence over the people. 
• The SDP adopted an uncompromising Marxist programme to overthrow Wilhelm's system. 

The Reichstag and parties were not authoritarian because:

• They are democratic.
• The Chancellor had minimal effect.
• They relied on right wing parties.
• The Kaiser's power was greater than theirs. 

The Reichstag and Parties were democratic because:

• They could discuss, amend and pass or reject govt legislation.
• Had universal male suffrage.
• Parties were voted in by the people. 
• Most walks of life were represented.

The development of interest groups were authoritarian because:

• 1890s: Professionally led interest groups became more powerful. 
• Such as the economic lobby groups, e.g Agrarian League.

The development of interest groups were democratic because:

• Organisation, such as the Pan-German League, the Navy League and the Colonial Society improved political participation. 

The Federal States were authoritarian because:

• 25 states retained control over many domestic matters which was imperial authority.
• The vote in Prussia however, gave disproportionate political weight to the rich. 

The Federal states were democratic because:

• The functions of the Reich government expanded, such as the social insurance scheme which were theirs.
• The Landtag in Prussia, was elected by a 3 class suffrage system. 
• They pursued a liberal policy.

The Army was authoritarian because:

• Bismarck fought hard to keep the military under political control.
• Civilian ministers were not consulted when the General Staff drew up its war plans.
• The army was aristocratically led.
• Officers were selected by regimental commanders.
• They had an oath of loyalty to the Kaiser, not the people.
• Conscription

The Army was democratic because:

• Civilians admired military virtues and had great faith in the army as an institution. 
• Despite this, this isn't very democratic because the army had to fight for the Kaiser not the country itself. Admiration doesn't mean its democratic.