AQA A level (and AS) history: international relations summary notes for chapter 1 to 6 (in Q&A)

what was an impact of democracy on policymaking of Britain and France?

Answer: The ruling political parties could not ignore public opinion and stay in power; the public mood and the press could, and often did, influence policymaking

What was the political structure of Britain?

Answer: -hereditary monarchy with limited power (had the right to be consulted, to encourage and to warn, was more of a figure-head) -governed by parliament led by a prime minister -strong system of representative government -limited suffrage to 5.5 million men

What was the political structure of France?

Answer: -ruling party changed frequently in the 1800s (no fewer than 10 different ministers in the 1890s): unstable domestic and foreign policies -republic (no monarch) -president head of state, wielded executive power and commanded the army, re-elected every 7 years

What are Autocracies?

Answer: The power of the absolute monarch (Austro-Hungarian emperor and Russian tsar) was almost unlimited by constitutions or strong parliaments. -They appointed ministers of their choice -there was no legal means to remove them from the throne

What was the political structure of Russia?

Answer: -Autocratic -Tsars refused to grant political reform that would limit their power despite increasing pressure -less strict autocracy Alexander II -Tsars resisted pressure for more political power at a national level (Alexander II\'s successors saw his assassination as a warning against changing the status quo)

What was Russia like under the Tsar\'s autocratic rule?

Answer: -several opposition groups, from liberals to marxists, had emerged seeking a decisive change in Russia\'s political structure -political assassinations increased -Tsars relied on the secret police force

What was the political structure of Austria-Hungary?

Answer: -Dual monarchy since 1867 -the 2 states shared the same foreign policy and army and shared a budget for the army -the 2 states had separate parliaments and ministers which resulted in slow negotiation over issues that affected both states

What was the political structure of Germany?

Answer: -surprisingly liberal constitution as approval for laws needed from Kaiser, chancellor and the lower and upper houses of parliament -elections to Reichstag held every 3 years -all men over 25 could vote -hereditary monarch, the Kaiser (responsible for foreign policy and appointed chancellor)

What changes occured under the accession of Kaiser Wilhelm II?

Answer: -more influence over affairs of state -uninterested in Reichstag and public opinion -greater influence of the military than in Britain -unpredictable policymaking and diplomacy

What were the characteristics of the most successful economies in the 1800s since the Industrial Revolution?

Answer: -plenty of raw materials -strong population growth = large workforce -efficient mechanized methods of production -good infrastructures for transportation