Revolutions—Not unknown in Germany—Prussia and the Hohenzollerns—Frederick the Great—Germany under foreign domination—The Battle of the brotherhood of man—Lassalle's national Socialists join the Internationale—Germany's political backwardness—The war of 1870-71—Erection of the German Empire—Why the Reichstag failed to become a real parliament—The Emperor's powers as Kaiser and as King of Prussia.
Chapter II. The German Conception of the State. [31]
Individualism repressed for efficiency's sake—Authority the keynote—The Beamter and his special privileges—Prussian ideals of duty—Education—The Officer corps as supporters of the throne—Militarism—Dreams of a Welt-Imperium—The fatal cancer of Socialism.
Chapter III. Internationalism and Vaterlandslose Gesellen. [45]
The menace of internationalism—Marx and Engels—Socialist teachings of the brotherhood of man—Lassalle's national Socialists join the Internationale of Marx, Engels and Liebknecht—Socialism becomes a political factor—Bismarck's special laws fail—He tries State Socialism—Kaiser Wilhelm denounces the Socialists—Labor-union movement a child of Socialism—German "particularism"—Socialism weakens feelings of patriotism and undermines the church.
Chapter IV. Germany under the "Hunger-Blockade." [61]
Germany's inability to feed and clothe her inhabitants—The war reduces production—Germany's imports in 1913—Food conservation—The "turnip-winter"—Everybody goes hungry—Terrible increase of mortality—Discontent engendered and increased by suffering—Illegitimate trade in the necessaries of life—Rations at the front become insufficient.
Chapter V. Internationalism at Work. [75]
General enthusiasm at the war's outbreak—Socialists support the government—Liebknecht denounces the war—Otto Rühle, Franz Mehring, Clara Zetkin and Rosa Luxemburg—The "Spartacus Letters"—Extreme Socialists begin to follow Liebknecht—The first open break in the party—The seceders attack the war—Liebknecht sent to prison—The Russian Revolution as a factor—The political strikes of January, 1918—The army disaffected—Shortage of trained officers.
Chapter VI. Propaganda and Morale. [89]