Bismarck was from the Junker class and a true patriot to Prussia. He supported the monarchy and would fight to keep the authority the Prussian King had. Prior to Bismarck's chancellorship, he served as the Prussian representative in the Frankfurt Diet of the German Confederation. As his popularity grew through the Prussian government, he became ambassador to Russia, and shortly after he became the ambassador to Paris. This was his last job prior to him being appointed to the position of prime minister.
Bismarck was a man who jumped around ever scale imaginable. He could be democracy's best friend, or worst enemy. His goal above everything else was to increase the prestige, power, and economic well being of Prussia. He would be liberal to what the people views, and ideas were, or he could turn into a totalitarian leader. He cared not of what the citizens of Prussia, or the world for that matter, would think of his actions. If the people wouldn't agree with what he was doing, he hoped that in the future his goals, and intentions would be understood. Unfortunately, over a hundred years later his actions are still not well understood.
One can easily look at Bismarck as a hero for many reasons. The first reason is his personality and the views that he had at the time with the world. As he became part of the Frankfurt Diet as Prussia's representative, he could sense that a unification of Germany was bound to happen. He brought himself into politics as a reactionary, but soon mellowed out to become a conservative. Throughout his political career he wanted Prussia to become a powerhouse, a stability of the region. Little did he know at the time that Germany would be the stabilizer, but it would be lead by Prussia. With the Concert of Europe still shattered from the Crimean War (1854-1856), countries began to make political alliances with one another. Soon all the countries of Europe were entangled in a mess of military treaties and political agreements.