Free Conservative Party

During the chancellorship of Otto von Bismarck, it generally gave him its strong support, and many of its members were ministers and diplomats.

It took a staunchly nationalist stance during World War I and disbanded in 1918 during the early weeks of the German revolution.

Unlike the original party, the Free Conservatives supported the territorial annexations that led to the founding of the North German Confederation under Prussia's leadership.

[3] They also favoured the advancement of commerce and industry and trusted that Bismarck would incorporate elements of modernity into Prussia's tradition of authoritarian rule.

Beginning in 1907, the official party structure consisted of an electoral association which was led by an executive board and committee.

The Free Conservatives had no fixed party program until 1906;[3] before then its founding manifesto, presented on 27 October 1867, served in place of one.

The party believed in a constitution but opposed the separation of powers:[8]We honour the state constitution as a source of strength for the monarchy, as an unfolding of popular customs and traditions, as the guarantor of the freedom of the church, of the equality of confessions, of the separation of political rights from religious faith.

Rather than exercising policy influence through a party apparatus, it did so through personal contacts, including many at the imperial court.

[13] With the cartel in the majority following the 1887 Reichstag election, it was able to push through the second seven-year military budget (septennate) that Bismarck wanted.