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Question: History question about Germany, Great Britain, and France!?
What was one reason that Germany remained divided and economically disadvantaged while Great Britain and France developed strong industrial economies!?!.!.back in the 1800sWww@QuestionHome@Com


Best Answer - Chosen by Asker:
"Germany was never historically a country ruled over by a single King as France and Englnd/Great Britain"

Wrong, Germany was ruled by several emperors and the most famous family is the house of Hapsburg, in 1871, a new house ruled the german empire, the house of Hohenzollern!.
The first Reich has been founded in the 11th century by Otto Ist until 1806, several houses ruled the holy roman german empire, in 1806 the last emperor had to abdicate after the Battle of Austerlitz won by Napoleon : Francis II of Germany became Francis Ist of Austria!.
Prussia was sometimes a part of the Holy roman empire but became more and more independant, during the XVIIIth century it was independant, it was a sovereign kingdom!.
Anyway after several victories during the french Revolution, in 1803 a part of the Ist Reich was administrated by the French, Napoleon became Protector of the Confederation of the Rhine!.
So during the napoleonic era there was three Germany : Prussia, the Confederation of the Rhine and Austria!.
After 1871, the 2nd Reich was proclamed and the ex confederation of the Rhine which was renamed the German Confederation (after the fall of the french empire in 1815) became a part of the 2nd Reich!.
In 1871 it remained one Germany and the empire of Austria-Hungary!.Www@QuestionHome@Com

Germany was never historically a country ruled over by a single King as France and Englnd/Great Britain were!. Rather, it was a collection of states, some tiny being no more than an abbey, some city states like Hamburg, some duchies, some principalities, all of varying sizes!. The only unifying factor being the use of the German language!. Overall, they were supposedly ruled by the Holy Roman Emperor of the Holy Roman Empire of the German People!. (the Holy Roman Empire being neither holy, roman nor an empire, however)!. In 1806 it was dissolved by Napoleon who formed the Confederation of the Rhine to include many of the states etc in that area!. During the first half of the 19th century, in common with many other parts of Europe, there was a movement towards German unity which was finally accomplished under Otto von Bismark!. This unified Germany was very laregely dominated by, and the creation of, the state of Prussia which had grown increasingly large and powerful over the preceding 100 years or so!.Www@QuestionHome@Com

In the last half (not quarter) of that century, Germany DID manage to unify into one kingdom!. That unification came by way of Otto von Bismarck!. von Bismarck once quipped of the colonization of the African continent by the European "super powers" that "Germany's interests lie in Germany!." If anyone is to blame for Germany's lagging behind it would be the doings of Kaiser Wilhelm II!. The boy was just not right with the world!.Www@QuestionHome@Com

Actually Pion is wrong!. Germany before 1871 was NOT a nation state but simply a geographical expression!. The Holy Roman Empire is NOT the same as Germany!. One is an Empire ecompassing several states while the other is a nation state!.

Anyway here is a good link that answers your question:
http://www!.thecorner!.org/hist/essays/eur!.!.!.Www@QuestionHome@Com