A Deterritorialized History: Investigating German Colonialism ...

European competitors’ exclusionary treaties and the restriction of free trade led the
Chancellor to conclude that the public mood was in favour of acquiring commercial
rights for Germany in Africa. Even though Germany was markedly undemocratic, this
public support was important to Bismarck. For instance, the Kartell-Politik compromise
of 1887-1890 depended upon the consensus gained in the initial colonial expansion.
However, the 1884 elections manifested increased support for the Social Democrats,
whose cautious imperialism spoke to working class acceptance of colonial policy.
Another possible domestic goal within Bismarck’s policy of colonial expansion has been
identified in Bismarck’s attempt to isolate the pro-British Nationalliberale Partei and its
supporter, the reform-minded Crown Prince Friedrich. 56 By providing a colonial
competitor for the German population, Bismarck likely saw an opportunity to
concurrently vilify the British, the Nationalliberales and the popular Crown Prince.
In addition to domestic politics, concerns about the population also contributed to
the domestic argument. The colonies were hoped to serve as a domestic safety-valve by
pushing discontent from Germany to the colonial periphery. In addition, many Germans,
like the historian Heinrich Treitschke and the economist Arnold Wagner, believed the
contemporary over-population myth and, even worse, that Germany was being over-
populated by the lowest social orders. 57 It was hoped that the colonies would provide a
place to settle this “excess” German population that would not be a loss to Germany as
was immigration to other countries. Colonial expansion would therefore be a domestic
palliative for the supposed threats of over-population, over-production and under-
consumption by providing new space and new markets for Germans.
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