#Otto von Bismarck

[chuckthewizard]

I think the term for this is paternalism? There’s also some comparison to be made to Imperial Germany. Under the Kaiser (and Bismarck) the nation instituted a set of basic welfare principles in order to keep the people in line. They had a (mostly useless) parliament. You were fed, educated, and given a job, but if you stepped out of line they wouldn't hesitate to send the army to put down any protests or strikes.

"Why think about rebellion or strikes when you have representation in parliament? Why think about democracy when the system is working for you in specific right now? Why worry about worker's rights when you have exactly the amount of rights that you can live with and no more? You have weekends, holidays, safety regulation, health insurance, a pension, and vacation time what more do you need? You certainly don't need to talk to those liberals and socialists who keep yammering on about 'worker's rights' and 'democracy.' Best to just stick with the current system and not ask for any reform because it's clearly working."

Of course, the actual system still oppressed everyone who wasn't a Prince, King, or Junker. Your rights were limited and your "freedom" an illusion created to keep people from aligning with left-leaning elements. Like a lot of Bismarck's other work it was cleverly put together to leave the Kaiser on top and everyone else below him. HA does the exact same thing just with jingoist mega-capitalism based on American culture instead of the monarchy and aristocracy. I suppose there's still both of those with HA with Harrison and the corporation just taking the Kaiser and the Junkers' places.

Here's the Wikipedia page which gives a decent synopsis https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/State_Socialism_(Germany)

Harrison Armory

I think a lot of people fundamentally misunderstand Harrison Armory, Lancer fans on Tumblr especially.

Harrison Armory is not Nazi Germany. Harrison Armory doesn't actually have an exact parallel on modern-day Earth, and it would be difficult to draw them without potentially insensitive implications.

I think the closest parallel I can draw is late-stage Obama-era America, with a lot of Nordic-style public investment and China's Social Credit system.

People depicting the Armory as a cold, grind-obsessed hypercapitalist nightmare are thinking of IPS-N. The Armory looks after its citizens, at least in as much as happy workers are productive workers. Even as a colonial subject, you can expect a decent standard of living simply because they don't answer solely to shareholders - for better or for worse, the Armory has a vision, an insistence upon the dignity of Humanity which wouldn't allow them to let you live in squalor. This is a cold, haughty kind of beneficence - they don't care about you per se, it's just that allowing you to suffer would reflect poorly on them.

You will get healthcare. You will get free, frequent public transit that you might not even need to use, since every city is walkable. You will get clean water, healthy food and safe streets. You will get frequent vacations and as many sick days as you need. No matter your ethnicity, birth gender, gender identity, religion, sexuality, physical or mental ability, the Armory has a place for you. The Armory does not discriminate.

The Armory is expansionist, for sure, but it chooses its new acquisitions carefully - Diasporan worlds under the thumb of ruthless dictators, repressive theocracies, avaricious hypercapitalist oligarchs. If you're a colonial subject, the Armory have likely liberated you from tyrants.

What do you give in return? Complete cultural obedience.

You will not cause a disturbance. You will not rock the boat. You will not question the benevolent system that gave you this abundance. The Armory gives you all the choices that really matter to someone like you: eat what you want, shop where you want, buy what you want - after all, every shop, every café, every restaurant is an Armory subsidiary, so whatever cuisine you favour, whatever brand of dataslate you prefer, the Armory is making back most of the salary they pay you. The Armory puts a roof over your head. The Armory protects you from the wolves at the door. The Armory even lets you vote on your local representatives (they've all got spotless Socials, so you know that no matter who you choose, they're loyal, attentive citizens). Are you not happy? Are you not grateful?

Show us. Show us you're grateful. Show up to the Foundation Day parade. Salute the statues of Harrisons I (PRAISE THE DIRECTOR GENERAL, LONG MAY HE SERVE), II (PRAISE THE DIRECTOR GENERAL, LONG MAY HE SERVE) and III (PRAISE THE DIRECTOR GENERAL, LONG MAY HE SERVE). Recite the Pledge. Volunteer for the local Guard Corps - or better yet, the Colonial Legion. Don't you care about your community? Aren't you proud of your nation? Don't you want to give back? Aren't you a good citizen?

What's that? Dissent? You little shit! You ungrateful little worm! After all we've done for you, after all this Great Nation has sacrificed for you, you dare ask for more? Harrison I (PRAISE THE DIRECTOR GENERAL, LONG MAY HE SERVE) sacrificed himself on Union's altar for us - for YOU! Harrison II (PRAISE THE DIRECTOR GENERAL, LONG MAY HE SERVE) died refusing to bend the knee, refusing to sacrifice our freedom - YOUR LIBERTY! Harrison III (PRAISE THE DIRECTOR GENERAL, LONG MAY HE SERVE) tours the Purview to see and hear your fellow countrymen and address their concerns, and you dare question his right to rule? The Steward Council is comprised of only his most trusted advisors - do you doubt their commitment to our values?

We live in the best and brightest era of human civilization, the problems of the past all behind us, and all you can think about is ways to drag us all down. You ungrateful, shiftless, lazy little bastard. You want me to call the local Social board? See how they feel about your profile? If you don't feel like the Armory is doing enough for you? Well, let's see how you like it when the Armory does nothing for you. You clearly don't have the spirit or the courage to be truly free.

Ugh, dissenters, am I right? Fuck, sorry about that, folks. Yeah, that was... intense! Anyway, let's not let that whole sordid ordeal ruin this party. Let's all just chill, take an edible, and celebrate what we came here to celebrate - the Colonial Legion incorporated its first all-trans Genghis brigade! What a win for progressivism, right? You'd never see that in the Trade Baronies! Praise the Director General! Long may he serve!

[philosophors]

“Anyone who has ever looked into the glazed eyes of a soldier dying on the battlefield will think hard before starting a war.”

— Otto von Bismarck

[spghtrbry]

wilhelm/bismarck lovehate yaoi compilation

[etsu-silly]

Otto von Bismarck and Aleksey Arakcheev would’ve gotten along if they were from the same era. Two Iron Chancellors. Plus Bismarck was an ambassador to Russia so there’s that too. Just a thought…

[thatswhywelovegermany]

Es gibt kaum ein Wort heutzutage, mit dem mehr Missbrauch getrieben wird als mit dem Worte 'frei'. Ich traue dem Wort nicht, aus dem Grunde, weil keiner die Freiheit für alle will; jeder will sie für sich.

There is hardly a word more abused these days than the word 'free'. I don't trust the word, for the reason that nobody wants freedom for everyone; everyone wants it for themselves.

Otto von Bismarck (1815 – 1898), German politician, first chancellor of the German Empire

[morgenstern16]

love it when paradox games just slot historical characters into their absurd events

[wav3y-zzz]

can u pls draw otto von Bismarck first german chancellor

Always a good day when I get to draw wrinkly old men, and ol otto is especially saggy looking!

[miaumiautzi]

It came to me in history class and it was as clear as day.

[hicapacity]

[iron--and--blood]

wishing all my followers a very happy new year with the auld lang syne quote from the 1854 bismarck-motley letter. it’s been an amazing year with all of you and i can’t wait for another one!

[best-hohenzollern-ruler]

Bonus Round: Best Chancellor

Otto von Bismarck (1871-1890)

The Iron Chancellor

With a man as talented and powerful as Otto von Bismarck, it is hard to know where to start when outlining his accomplishments. His rule over Prussia and later Germany totaled a combined thirty years, during which he upended the global order and reshaped the map of Europe as we know it today. His title of "The Iron Chancellor" originates from the iron grip he had over both German and international politics, as well as one of his most famous speeches.

Bismarck's greatest accomplishment was no doubt the unification of this great state of Germany, which he accomplished through both shrewd diplomacy and skillful warmaking. His wars against Denmark, Austria, and France propelled Prussia to new heights and allowed for the declaration of the German empire in 1871. As Bismarck had said 9 years prior to that exalted date, "the great questions of the day will not be decided by speeches or majority decisions, but by iron and blood"

Nations that claim power on the world stage by way of military might or economic excellence still kneel before Germany when it comes to care for their citizenry. Under Bismarck, Germany passed groundbreaking laws providing aid for injured or sick workers who could not earn a living for their families. Later, those benefits were expanded to aging or disabled citizens, creating the first social welfare program in Europe. It is my hope that countries with prospering upper classes may take a page from Germany's playbook and allow the government to care for those workers which have ensured its economic success. (Real subtle - T)

Leo von Caprivi (1890-1894)

A moment's pity for the poor man who must stand in the footholds of giants. How can one hope to compare to the eminence of Otto von Bismarck? Caprivi gave his answer by ripping to shreds one of Bismarck's foreign policy achievements, our former Reinsurance Treaty with Russia. This was a treaty that protected Germany from her greatest fear: a two (or three or perhaps even four!) front war, the Gallic rooster to our West and the Russian bear to our east. Why, then, would he not reinsure this treaty? Perhaps Russian reproachment with France was already a foregone conclusion; maybe he placed more value on Austria-Hungary and Italy than Russia; one scholar I've become familiar with has proposed that maybe his brain was "riddled with the worms of idiocy." The histrionics of the critics has never moved me. War will not come between Germany and Russia. A piece of paper changes nothing.

Caprivi realized that Germany would maintain her pre-eminence in Europe through either war or trade. For the first time, we chose industry. Commercial treaties were forged with an assortment of European nations including Austria-Hungary, Italy, Belgium, and Spain. He even ended a trade war with Russia, giving Germans access to cheaper Russian agriculture products. (What? Were the Merkel jokes too easy? -L)

Chlodwig zu Hohenlohe-Schillingsfürst (1894-1900)

Perhaps the greatest thing to say about Hohenlohe is that he was nobody's first pick for the job. Other names had been floated, but those picks proved too controversial. Hohenlohe, albeit aged, was a safe choice and caused the Kaiser no scandal. He served inconspicuously, which is to say without distinction. His cabinet was shuffled and reshuffled without his input and he found the winds of change blowing past him faster than he could react. A chancellor in name only, disempowered to enact any sorts of policies in the vein of predecessor. The most he achieved were reforms to the Prussian Military Law and the Law of Associations. In 1900, Hohenlohe took himself out of his misery and retired. Like his reactions to cooling relations with Russia and Britain, it came too little, too late. He died a year later.

Bernhard von Bülow (1900-1909)

The position of the Chancellor in the early 20th century increasingly seems like an ornate title for the caregiver of the Kaiser. After Wilhelm II inflamed tensions between Germany and France during the Morocco Crisis, it fell upon von Bülow to clean up the debacle. He represented the Kaiser at the Algeciras Conference, a meeting meant to defuse the tensions of the aforementioned crisis. Germany was humiliated, her terms discarded and the alliance between Britian and France was strengthened. When von Bülow defended his work at the conference, he became so overwhelmed that he collapsed.

Much like the first of his office, von Bülow's career came to an end in a conflict with Kaiser Wilhelm II. In a conversation published by the Daily Telegraph, the Kaiser attempted to court the affection of Britain and her king. Perhaps Herr Freud could say something in regards to His Majesty's love for his mother's country. (Note: Please never imply something like this ever again - T). Unfortunately, it had the opposite effect. The British public was appalled at the Kaiser's words, which read more as the ramblings of a madman than as the diplomatic forays of an emperor. Perhaps the outcry could have been prevented had von Bülow properly reviewed the text before it was published, however, he did not. The Kaiser viewed this as a betrayal and forced him to resign.

[pascalkirchmair]

"Otto von Bismarck", black and brown ink on paper, 18 x 24 cm

[spghtrbry]

a compilation of the best willy ww1 caricatures

[waiting-eyez]

Never believe anything in politics until it has been officially denied.

(Otto Von Bismarck)

[thatswhywelovegermany]

Es gibt kaum ein Wort heutzutage, mit dem mehr Mißbrauch getrieben wird als mit dem Wort frei. Ich traue dem Wort nicht, aus dem Grunde, weil keiner die Freiheit für alle will: jeder will sie für sich.

There is hardly a word more abused these days than the word free. I don't trust the word, for the reason that nobody wants freedom for everyone: everyone wants it for themselves.

Otto von Bismarck (1815 – 1898), German politician and statesman

[philoursmars]

Marseille, le MuCEM et sa nouvelle collection permanente (à mes yeux, bien plus intéressante et mieux présentée que la précédente…)

Suite (et fin ?)

casse-noix - tête, France début XXe s. ; tête de Bismarck, France XIXe s.

décor de manège - France, 1880

les Beatles - France, 1964

battoir à linge par Michel Peigne - France, 1800

idem

barre de tonneau avec Triton et sirène - Alsace, XVIIIe s.