[[Otto von Bismarck]] implemented a set of social programs between 1883 and 1889 following his [[anti-socialist laws]], partly as remedial measures to appease the working class and detract support for the [[Social Democratic Party of Germany]] (SPD). Bismarck's biographer [[A. J. P. Taylor]] wrote: "It would be unfair to say that Bismarck took up social welfare solely to weaken the Social Democrats; he had had it in mind for a long time, and believed in it deeply. But as usual he acted on his beliefs at the exact moment when they served a practical need".<ref>Taylor, A. J. P. (1955). ''Bismarck. The Man and the Statesman''. London: Hamish Hamilton. p. 202. "Since he could not shake the Centre, he would win over the Social Democrats—not certainly by appealing to their leaders, whom he was persecuting and sending to prison, but by a constructive social programme, which he hoped would detach the working-class voters from the Social Democratic party. It would be unfair to say that Bismarck took up social welfare solely to weaken the Social Democrats; he had had it in mind for a long time, and believed in it deeply. But as usual he acted on his beliefs at the exact moment when they served a practical need. challenge drove him forward. He first avowed his social programme when Bebel taunted him with his old friendship with Lassalle. He answered by calling himself a Socialist, indeed a more practical Socialist than the Social Democrats; and he provocatively rejoiced in echoing Frederick the Great's wish to be le ''roi des guex'', king of the poor. Richter, the Progressive leader, called Bismarck's proposals 'not Socialistic, but Communistic'. The proposal was merely that part of the cost of Socials Insurance should be borne by the state; and nowadays Bismarck seems the progressive, Richter the unenlightened reactionary".</ref> When a reference was made to his friendship with [[Ferdinand Lassalle]] (a nationalist and state-oriented socialist), Bismarck said that he was a more practical socialist than the Social Democrats.<ref>Taylor, A. J. P. (1955). ''Bismarck. The Man and the Statesman''. London: Hamish Hamilton. p. 202.</ref> These policies were informally referred to as State Socialism by liberal and conservative opponents, and supporters of the term wasprograms later adopted by supporters of the programsterm in a further attempt to detract the working class from the SPD, with the goal ofto makingmake the working class content with a nationalist-oriented capitalist [[welfare state]].<ref>Bismarck, Otto (15 March 1884). [http://germanhistorydocs.ghi-dc.org/sub_document.cfm?document_id=1809 "Bismarck's Reichstag Speech on the Law for Workers' Compensation"]. German History in Documents and Images. Retrieved 27 December 2019.</ref><ref>Feuchtwanger, Edgar (2002) [1970]. ''Bismarck''. London: Routledge. p. 221. {{ISBN|9780415216142}}.</ref>
Bismarck made the following statement as a justification for his social welfare programs: "Whoever has pensions for his old age is far more easier to handle than one who has no such prospect. Look at the difference between a private servant in the chancellery or at court; the latter will put up with much more, because he has a pension to look forward to".<ref>Taylor, A. J. P. (1955). ''Bismarck. The Man and the Statesman''. London: Hamish Hamilton. p. 203.</ref>
This did not prevent the Social Democrats tofrom becomebecoming the biggest party in parliament by 1912. According to historian [[Jonathan Steinberg]], "[a]ll told, Bismarck's system was a massive success—except in one respect. His goal to keep the Social Democratic Party out of power utterly failed. The vote for the Social Democratic Party went up and by 1912 they were the biggest party in the Reichstag".<ref>Boissoneault, Lorraine (14 July 2017). [https://www.smithsonianmag.com/history/bismarck-tried-end-socialisms-grip-offering-government-healthcare-180964064/ "Bismarck Tried to End Socialism's Grip—By Offering Government Healthcare"]. ''Smithsonian''. Retrieved 30 January 2020.</ref>
