Page "State socialism" Paragraph 13

Otto von Bismarck implemented a set of social programs between 1883 – 1889, following his anti-socialist laws, partly as remedial measures to appease the working class and detract support for the Social Democratic Party of Germany.

Bismarck's biographer A. J. P. Taylor said: " It would be unfair to say that Bismarck took up social welfare solely to weaken the Social Democrats ; he had had it in mind for a long time, and believed in it deeply.

But as usual he acted on his beliefs at the exact moment when they served a practical need ".

When a reference was made to his friendship with Ferdinand Lassalle ( a nationalist and state-oriented socialist ), Bismarck said that he was a more practical " socialist " than the Social Democrats.

These policies were informally referred to as " State Socialism " by liberal and conservative opponents ; the term was later adopted by supporters of the programs in a further attempt to detract the working class from the SPD, with the goal of making the working class content with a nationalist-oriented capitalist welfare state.