The Reform Efforts of Maximilian I

According to Hagen Schulze, many of the reform efforts taking place in the 1400’s were aimed at making Germany more like the nation states of France and England.  Schulze argues that “had these attempts succeeded, the German nation would have had the chance to establish itself as a nation state” (45).  When reading, I was especially intrigued by Emperor Maximilian’s ideas for reform.  I believe that his ideas were revolutionary and that some of his ideas parallel what the American political system eventually evolved into almost 300 years later.

Emperor Maximilian I

The emperor’s plans for reform included “establishment of an imperial court of law in 1495, in combination with a proclaimed state of ‘lasting law and order’ throughout the empire…division of the entire empire into ten administrative districts…a representative body for the estates” (45).  It appears that Emperor Maximilian I was attempting to move away from the select group of princes that had been established to work with the emperor in making decisions, towards a more representative body.  Also, the separation of the empire into ten administrative districts would have allowed the emperor greater control over the activities of certain areas of the empire since another ruling body would be in place.  Unfortunately, the emperor died before many of his ideas were set in place, and his reforms were replaced with a vision of a “universal monarchy” (45).  

The ideals held by Emperor Maximilian I are important to note because they show that there were those in Germany in the late 1400’s and early 1500’s that were focused on creating a distinct nation state that defined the German lands.  It seems that some of the Germans were interested in giving individuals a voice through a more representative form of governing, shifting the concentration of power from the aristocracy towards the working class.

United States System of Checks and Balances

It is possible to draw connections between Emperor Maximilian’s concepts for reform, and the early American political system.  The imperial court of law could be seen as a sort of Supreme Court, set in place to oversee the smaller courts throughout the empire, and to ensure that laws and punishments are fair.  The division of the empire into administrative districts is an early concept that later came into play in America with the development of individual state governments sending House Representatives and Senators to nation’s capital.  With Emperor Maximilian’s idea of a representative body coming out of the ten administrative districts and the creation of the imperial court, he was developing a system of checks and balances, similar to what is seen in the American political system, which would have set Germany on an earlier course towards becoming a nation state.  In this sense, the emperor would've been the executive, the imperial court of law the Supreme Court, and the representatives of the administrative districts would've made up Congress.  The emperor's concept for reform, if carried out, could've developed an early form of Democracy in Germany which I find intriguing.

Schulze, Hagen, and Deborah Lucas Schneider. Germany: A New History. Harvard University Press, 2001. 31-69. Print.