Editing German Confederation (section)

=={{Lang|de|Zollverein}}: economic integration==
[[File:German unified 1815 1871.svg|thumb|300px|{{Lang|de|Zollverein}} and German unification]]

Further efforts to improve the confederation began in 1834 with the establishment of a [[customs union]], the {{Lang|de|[[Zollverein]]}}. In 1834, the Prussian regime sought to stimulate wider trade advantages and industrialism by decree{{Snd}}a logical continuation of the program of {{Lang|de|Stein|italics=unset}} and {{Lang|de|Hardenberg|italics=unset}} less than two decades earlier. Historians have seen three Prussian goals: as a political tool to eliminate Austrian influence in Germany; as a way to improve the economies; and to strengthen Germany against potential French aggression while reducing the economic independence of smaller states.<ref>{{Cite journal |last=Murphy |first=David T. |date=1991 |title=Prussian aims for the Zollverein, 1828–1833 |journal=[[Historian (journal)|Historian]] |volume=53 |issue=2 |pages=285–302 |doi=10.1111/j.1540-6563.1991.tb00808.x}}</ref>

Inadvertently, these reforms sparked the unification movement and augmented a middle class demanding further political rights, but at the time backwardness and Prussia's fears of its stronger neighbors were greater concerns. The customs union opened up a common market, ended tariffs between states, and standardized weights, measures, and currencies within member states (excluding Austria), forming the basis of a proto-national economy.<ref>W. O. Henderson, ''The Zollverein'' (1959) is the standard history in English</ref>

By 1842 the {{Lang|de|Zollverein}} included most German states. Within the next twenty years, the output of German furnaces increased fourfold. Coal production grew rapidly as well. In turn, German industry (especially the works established by the {{Lang|de|[[Krupp]]|italics=unset}} family) introduced the steel gun, cast-[[steel]] [[axle]], and a [[breech-loading weapon|breech-loading rifle]], exemplifying Germany's successful application of technology to weaponry. Germany's security was greatly enhanced, leaving the Prussian state and the landowning aristocracy secure from outside threat. German manufacturers also produced heavily for the civilian sector. No longer would Britain supply half of Germany's needs for manufactured goods, as it did beforehand.<ref>William Manchester, ''The Arms of Krupp, 1587–1968'' (1968)</ref> However, by developing a strong industrial base, the Prussian state strengthened the middle class and thus the nationalist movement. [[Economic integration]], especially increased national consciousness among the German states, made political unity a far likelier scenario. Germany finally began exhibiting all the features of a proto-nation.

The crucial factor enabling Prussia's conservative regime to survive the {{Lang|de|Vormärz}} era was a rough coalition between leading sectors of the [[landed upper class]] and the emerging commercial and manufacturing interests. Even if the commercial and industrial element is weak, it must be strong enough (or soon become strong enough) to become worthy of co-optation, and the [[French Revolution]] terrified enough perceptive elements of Prussia's ''{{Lang|de|Junker}}s'' for the state to be sufficiently accommodating.

While relative stability was maintained until 1848, with enough [[bourgeoisie|bourgeois]] elements still content to exchange the "right to rule for the right to make money", the landed upper class found its economic base sinking. While the {{Lang|de|Zollverein}} brought economic progress and helped to keep the bourgeoisie at bay for a while, it increased the ranks of the middle class swiftly{{Snd}}the very social base for the nationalism and liberalism that the Prussian state sought to stem.

The {{Lang|de|Zollverein}} was a move toward economic integration, modern industrial capitalism, and the victory of centralism over localism, quickly bringing to an end the era of guilds in the small German princely states. This led to the 1844 revolt of the [[Silesia]]n Weavers, who saw their livelihood destroyed by the flood of new manufactures.

The {{Lang|de|Zollverein}} also weakened Austrian domination of the Confederation as economic unity increased the desire for political unity and nationalism.