.
As foreign minister, in order to preserve and increase the power of Germany in Europe, he devised his alliance system, which of course was essentially defensive or conservative. He certainly believed that a balance of power in Europe was an ideal way to ensure peace amongst the states. As the man responsible for domestic policy, how could Biz increase his power within Germany without a guiding political philosophy or party affiliation? With whom would he ally or work in order to produce positive public policy that would strengthen Germany internally, so that he might also cement his position as Chancellor? "His approach to politics was always that of a diplomat, balancing between the various forces and playing one off against another; and he aimed to be the dominant partner in any association. He never became identified with any cause, whether monarchy or German nationalism or, later, conservatism. This gave him freedom to manoeuvre." .
Understanding that power was always Biz's underlying motive, and that operating a political balance between a conservative emperor and a multi-party parliament was Biz's method to preserve and enhance his power, let us now look at some of the projects that Biz undertook that flowed from his aims and methods. This is where we will be able to discern his various domestic policy successes and failures. .
During his first decade as chancellor, Biz was allied to the liberals in the Reichstag, not because he was himself a liberal, but because it was practical, appropriate at the time, and yes, it increased Biz's power. However, Biz maintained this alliance only as long as he thought he and Germany could derive benefits from the connection, and no longer. Actually, Biz had given the North German Confederation universal manhood suffrage in 1866 (which carried over to the German Imperial Constitution of 1871) believing that if all men in the Confederation-instead of just the wealthy-could vote, the masses would vote dumbly for Conservatives-rather than the liberals-and that these would give unquestioning, even unreasoning support to the Imperial chancellor.
