Research On Wilhelminian Germany Foreign Cultural Policy (1900-1914)

Foreign cultural policy can be understood as a combination of foreign policy and a country’s own national culture.From the perspective of the development process,from about the middle and late 19th century,there were early foreign cultural activities in European countries.By the end of the 19th century and the beginning of the 20th century,foreign cultural policy began to be developed and implemented systematically at the national level.The foreign cultural policy of this period mainly reflected the characteristics of cultural unilateralism,which was dominated by the strong cultural export of one country to another.After more than 100 years of development,modern foreign cultural policy is not only a medium to show the image of the country to the outside world,but also regarded as a tool for political mediation between countries.Modern foreign cultural policy also supports exchanges and dialogue between countries,and also provides other countries with specialized programs that help their development and transformation,more reflecting the characteristics of cultural multilateralism.Changes in domestic and foreign situations provided a favorable background for the implementation of Wilhelm Germany’s foreign cultural policy.During the period of Wilhelm Germany,Germany had transformed from a backward agricultural country to an advanced industrialized country,and the economic strength of the empire continued to increase.In addition,the promulgation of the imperial constitution in 1871 enabled Germany to achieve political unity and created a peaceful and stable environment for domestic development.The domestic cultural and educational undertakings have also been further developed,enhancing the confidence of the German people in their own culture.Internationally,the imperialists countries intensified their competition for colonial spheres of influence,the contradictions and conflicts between them continued to intensify,and the international situation became increasingly tense.The original equilibrium system on the European continent was broken,and the contradiction between Britain and Germany rose to the main contradiction.At the same time,the imperialist countries vigorously promoted the export of their own culture,and the competition for cultural education among the great powers intensified.In this domestic and international context,Wilhelm II’s "Weltpolitik" came into being.Under the influence of the two Moroccan crises,the implementation of"Weltpolitik" was hindered,and Germany faced international political isolation.As a result,scholars and thinkers in Germany have put forward their concepts of foreign cultural policy.Paul Rohrbach put forward the theory of "Friedlicher Imperialismus",and advocated that colonies should not be acquired by naked force,but should be established by foreign economic and cultural activities to build a greater Germany and promote the spread of German culture in the world,achieving the moral conquest of foreign colonies.The cultural historian and thinker Lamprecht expressed his views on cultural policy on the basis of "Neo-Idealismus",arguing that Germany no longer needs to seek the possibility of its economic and political expansion through power politics.On the contrary,it should cooperate with other cultural powers and participate in solving world civilization problems.Lamprecht’s conception of the Empire’s foreign cultural policy impressed the then Imperial Chancellor Bethmann Hollweg,and accelerated the implementation of the Empire’s official foreign cultural policy.In his reply to Lamprecht,Bethmann Hollweg analyzed the feasibility of German foreign cultural policy,and finally expressed his support for the implementation of foreign cultural policy.In addition to Bethmann Hollweg,Wilhelm II also expressed his approval of the implementation of foreign cultural policy.However,Wilhelm II’s foreign cultural concept was always based on the"Cultural Superiority" and belonged to the general policy of the overall "Weltpolitik".Guided by this philosophy,foreign cultural policy is merely an appendage of power politics.In addition,under the unanimous appeal of the official and the people,the Imperial House of Representatives and other departments of the Empire launched discussions on the implementation of foreign cultural policy,and finally agreed to implement foreign cultural policy.Promote the implementation of foreign cultural policy by establishing foreign scientific research institutes,opening foreign schools,funding and supporting foreign associations,etc.So far,Germany has also joined the cultural and educational competition among imperialist countries,combining foreign cultural policy with its expansive "Weltpolitik".The idea of Wilhelm Germany’s foreign cultural policy was put into practice as a tool for power politics.Before the First World War,the development of Wilhelm Germany’s foreign cultural policy ushered in a climax.The foreign cultural policy of Wilhelm Germany showed the characteristics of a combination of civil advocacy and official support,and was always related to the implementation of "Weltpolitik",with a cultural imperialist nature.As far as its influence is concerned,it reflects the characteristics of duality.On the one hand,the implementation of the foreign cultural policy of Wilhelm Germany spread German culture and promoted the development of the foreign cultural policy in the later period of Wilhelm Germany.Since Wilhelm Germany,German foreign cultural policy has gradually become a characteristic of modern German foreign policy after the reconstruction of Weimar Germany and the further consolidation of the Federal Republic of Germany.