Unlikely unification and other notes: Germany

Why was unification unlikely?

• separate leaders controlled each state
• 39 states
• the Diet didn't have much power - no army support and unanimous voting
• there was a 'peaceful dualism' between Austria and Prussia which was fighting over who could gain overall dominance of Germany
• differences between states
• for example, Rhineland was very industrialised compared to its controllers, Prussia, who were rural
• religious differences; Southern Germany looked to Austria for Catholics whereas North Germany looked to Prussia for Protestants
• a lot of non-Germans lived within the confederation so not really national unity
• plus some states in the confederation were controlled by non-Germans, e.g. Britain
• states had different languages, currency, weights, measurements

Things pushing for change/unity:

PRUSSIAN CUSTOMS UNION:

• later named Zollverein
• set up in 1818
• they removed the complex custom barriers
• replaced them with a…