Bismark’s Contribution to German Unification had been exaggerated. Do you agree?

It is a matter of great debate amongst historians as to whether or not Germany could have been united without Bismarck, and if his contribution to the unification has been exaggerated. Whilst it is true that Bismarck was instrumental in the unification of Germany, many other factors also contributed, and many historians see his involvement as more of a catalyst to speed up the process.

In support of this argument is the fact that there were already attempts at unification before Bismarck came to power. Unification seemed a logical step to many Germans, as they shared their culture and language. Also the matter of distance was becoming less of a problem, as new technologies improved travel and communication speeds with railways and telegraphs. Even though many feared change, particularly the rulers of the small kingdoms in Germany, support for unification was steadily growing.

Another set of important factors that caused unification to seem inevitable to historians, w...