Economic Union (political party)

The Economic Union (German: Wirtschaftliche Vereinigung) was a parliamentary group in the German Empire's Reichstag, gathering deputies of several minor antisemitic[1] and agrarian parties.

Its component parties were the antisemitic German Social and Christian Social parties as well as the German Agrarian League and the Bavarian Peasants' League. Moreover it included some nonpartisan representatives who were direct members of the Economic Union.

The group's initial leader was Max Liebermann von Sonnenberg.

## History

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The group first formed after the 1903 federal election, comprising twelve lawmakers.[2] After the national elections in 1907 reached its peak, returning 19 members of the Reichstag (14 delegates of the component parties in addition to five nonpartisan direct members of the Economic Union).[3] The 1912 elections saw it reduce in strength to eight seats.[4]

Following World War I it merged into the German People's Party.[5]

## Ideology

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The party represented conservative members of the middle class. It supported agrarian and social legislation.[5]

## References

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1. ^ Christian S. Davis (2012). Colonialism, Antisemitism, and Germans of Jewish Descent in Imperial Germany. University of Michigan Press. p. 123, note 167.
2. ^ "Reichstagshandbuch 1903". Münchener Digitalisierungszentrum. p. 12. Retrieved 20 November 2009.
3. ^ "Reichstagshandbuch 1907". Münchener Digitalisierungszentrum. p. 413. Retrieved 20 November 2009.
4. ^ "Reichstagshandbuch 1912". Münchener Digitalisierungszentrum. p. 416. Retrieved 20 November 2009.
5. ^ a b Vincent E McHale (1983) Political parties of Europe, Greenwood Press, p417 ISBN 0-313-23804-9

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* t
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Political parties in Germany until the end of World War I

Socialist|

* General German Workers' Association (ADAV)
* Lassallean General German Workers' Association (LADAV)
* Social Democratic Workers' Party of Germany (SDAP)
* Social Democratic Party of Germany (SPD)
* Independent Social Democratic Party of Germany (USPD)
* Majority Social Democratic Party of Germany (MSPD)

Catholic|

* Centre Party (Zentrum)

Liberal|

| Social liberal|

* German Progress Party (DFP)
* Democratic People's Party (DVP)
* German People's Party (DtVP)
* Liberal Union (LV)
* German Free-minded Party (DFsP)
* Free-minded People's Party (FVP)
* Free-minded Union (FV)
* National-Social Association (NSV)
* Democratic Union (DV)
* Progressive People's Party (FVP)

|

National liberal|

* National Liberal Party (NLP)
* Imperial Liberal Party (LRP)

Conservative|

* Free Conservative Party (FKP)
* German Conservative Party (DkP)
* Christian Social Party (CSP)
* German Fatherland Party
* Conservative Party (Prussia)

Antisemitic|

* German Reform Party (DRP)
* German Social Party (DSP)
* German Social Reform Party (DSRP)

Regionalist|

* Saxon People's Party
* German-Hanoverian Party (DHP)
* Bavarian Peasants' League (BB)
* Polish Party
* Danish Party

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