Question

We, Wilhelm, by the grace of God King of Prussia, do herewith declare that we have considered it a duty to our common fatherland to answer the summons of the united German princes and cities and to accept the German imperial title. In consequence, we and our successors on the throne of Prussia will henceforth bear the imperial title in all our relations and in all the business of the German Empire, and we hope to God that the German nation will be granted the ability to fashion a propitious future for the fatherland under the symbol of its ancient glory. Kaiser Wilhelm I, The Imperial Proclamation, January 1871

What ideology is present in the proclamation of Wilhelm I?

A. Nationalism

B. Communism

C. Absolutism

D. Imperialism

Answer 1

The ideology present in Wilhelm I's proclamation is nationalism, as it promotes the unity of German states under a single imperial title and evokes a sense of national pride.

Step-by-step explanation:

The ideology present in the proclamation of Wilhelm I is nationalism. This is evident in his emphasis on unifying the German principalities under a common imperial title and his appeal to the glory of the fatherland. The proclamation reflects the spirit of national unity and the desire to establish a strong, unified German state that emerged after the victory over France, and was championed by influential figures like Otto von Bismarck, who employed Realpolitik for the practical consolidation of German territories under Prussian leadership. The proclamation does not adhere to the ideologies of communism, absolutism, or imperialism, which are associated respectively with the advocacy of class struggle and the common ownership of property, the absolute rule of a monarch, and the extension of a nation's power via the acquisition of territories overseas.