The political economy of social identity in 19th century Germany

Abstract

Abstract This essay summarises my PhD thesis composed of four chapters, which deal with various aspects of social identity in 19th century Germany. The first chapter analyzes the effect of nation-building in cities that became part of Prussia in 1815. The second chapter investigates the effect of Bismarck’s carrot and stick policies on the electoral success of the socialist party. The third chapter studies the “China shock” of the first globalisation (1880–1913)—the “grain invasion”—coming from the Americas into Europe. The fourth chapter revisits Max Weber’s hypothesis on the role of Protestantism in economic development in its contemporary context.