Question

otto von bismarck, the man most resppnsible for uniting Germany, once said, "the great questions of the day are not decided by speeches and majority votes, but blood and iron." what do you think he meant

Answer 1

Bismarck's 'blood and iron' quote reflects his belief in realpolitik and the military might to forge Germany's unification and influence decisions far more than democratic processes.

Step-by-step explanation:

Otto von Bismarck believed that realpolitik and military force, rather than democratic discourse, guided national policy decisions and the unification of Germany. His statement implies that tangible power and the willingness to use it matter more than discussion or popular votes in shaping history.

His approach involved pragmatically manipulating nationalist sentiments to further Prussia's power and uniting German principalities through conflict, leading to the establishment of a German Empire in 1871.