Originally published in 1978, this book goes beyond conventional studies of economic history to discuss wider political and social questions pertinent to the development of the German political economy of the late 19th and early 20th centuries. The interaction between economic development and social structure played a unique and extremely important role in the development of 19th century Germany and accounts for the distinct manner in which German society developed during this period. This book examines the origins and nature of the German industrial revolution, and effects of the Zollverein on economic growth and national unity, and the critical role of railway building.