Zwischen Wettbewerbsideal und Staatsräson: Die Diskussionen im Deutschen Handelstag über Regulierung und Verstaatlichung der Eisenbahnen (1861–1879)

The Deutsche Handelstag, founded in 1861, coordinated the interests of its regional members – the chambers of commerce (or equivalent organisations) and regional interest groups. It mainly discussed topics that affected the economy as a whole. It therefore strongly participated in the various negotiations concerning tariffs and the market organisation of German Railways. Discussions were predetermined by the logic of the different railway systems (state-owned, mixed, and private), that significantly affected each individual state’s railway policy. The Handelstag produced several proposals on market organisation and tariffs, most of which failed for political reasons. As well as revealing the difficulties inherent in getting these proposals publically adopted, internal discussions also reveal the complexity of integrating existing “national” markets in political negotiations. An appropriate form of market organisation still did not exist when the Deutsche Reich was founded in 1871. At this time the Handelstag (as it had done previously) favoured regulation, especially competition on the track, but finally conceded in nationalising the (Prussian) Railways in 1876/1879, as it was the only viable policy capable of overcoming market failure.