ABSTRACT

The initiation of the naval programme coincided with discussions on the renegotiations of the trade agreements. Under Sammlungspolitik and within the Economic Committee heavy industry and the agrarians had a predominant position. Reaction to the new tariffs was one of general relief that the compromise had been reached rather than any genuine enthusiasm. Industrialists complained that by reducing the duty on such items as pitchforks, ploughshares, sickles and agricultural machinery the government had shown that it shared the animosity of the agrarians for industry. The German economy was suffering the effects of the world economic slump and a general move towards protection. The question of the future of German agriculture was clearly a major problem that should have been faced in Wilhelmine Germany. In spite of Friedrich Krupp’s complaints there were very few German interests in Morocco to defend. Direct investments were calculated at 5 million francs at a time when French investments were about 70 million.