Editing Otto von Bismarck (section)

===Economy===
[[File:Krupp factory 1880.jpg|thumb|320px|The [[Krupp]] factory in [[Essen]], 1880]]

In 1873, Germany and much of Europe and America entered the [[Long Depression]], the ''Gründerkrise''. A downturn hit the German economy for the first time since industrial development began to surge in the 1850s. To aid faltering industries, the Chancellor abandoned free trade and established [[German tariff of 1879|protectionist import-tariffs]], which alienated the National Liberals who demanded free trade. The ''Kulturkampf'' and its effects had also stirred up public opinion against the party that supported it, and Bismarck used this opportunity to distance himself from the National Liberals. That marked a rapid decline in the support of the National Liberals, and by 1879 their close ties with Bismarck had all but ended. Bismarck instead returned to conservative factions, including the Centre Party, for support. He helped foster support from the conservatives by enacting several tariffs protecting German agriculture and industry from foreign competitors in 1879.<ref>E. J. Feuchtwanger, ''Bismarck'' (2002) p. 208.</ref>