Otto fon Bismarko socialinės doktrinos ištakos

Abstract

This study discusses the efforts to form state social policy in Germany in the second half of the 19th century. These attempts are still very little known in Lithuania. In the center of those events was Duke Otto von Bismarck, the most influential statesmen of the Prussian and German Empire of the second half of the 19th century. The author tries to analyse his social views and activities on the state level in creating social policy which later became an example followed by other countries.
Usually Otto von Bismarck is considered one of me most famous diplomats of modern times and there is no doubt that he deserves this fame. However, the activities of this extraordinary personality were not restricted to the diplomatic sphere. If we were to consider Otto von Bismarck only a diplomat we would diminish his importance, because it was none other than he who „invented“ the German social system. It was thanks to his determination and perseverance that his social program was enacted into law. Furthermore, none of the other European countries of that time had similar laws.
It took some time for Otto von Bismarck to become a supporter of social reform. Almost 34 years had to pass since his political debut. This study, by placing the emphasis on Otto von Bismarck's motives and objectives, tries to reconstruct the various factors and elements which influenced the formation of Otto von Bismarck's social views. In this relation a review of L. Stein's „social monarchy“, the doctrine of historic school in political economy, K. Rodbertus and F. Lassal's ideas of „state socialism“ and the views of kateder–socialists are presented.
Duke Otto von Bismarck called his social policy „practical Christianity“. By implementing this policy he tried to improve the material living conditions of the fourth estate and hoped to prevent a social revolution. In his opinion the Germans would not become organized and would not be able to breathe freely, as a great nation of this world, without a social system. It was thanks to Otto von Bismarck that the German state started facing its social problems. He was not only the father of laws on social insurance but also the author of social reform. Therefore Duke Otto von Bismarck made a great and important contribution to the social progress of his country.