Bismarck’s Social Legislation: A New Role for the State

This essay examines Bismarck’s social legislation of the 1880s as a pivotal moment in the redefinition of the State’s role in Imperial Germany. Focusing on contemporary public discourse as reflected in selected press sources, it explores how this transformation was perceived and narrated. The analysis reveals that liberal and Catholic commentators recognised the shift from a classical liberal to an interventionist state more acutely than socialists, who underestimated its long-term implications. The debate highlights a broader cultural and political reorientation in state-citizen relations. The essay emphasises the growing belief, particularly among certain intellectuals, that the state was responsible for its citizens’ welfare, marking a historic turning point in German political consciousness.