CONCEPTUAL BASES OF FOREIGN POLICY OF THE GERMAN EMPIRE (1871-1918)
The article deals with the retrospective analysis of the conceptual basics, goals and methods of the foreign policy of the German Empire in 1871-1918. The degree of correlation between continuity and discontinuity, historical traditions and geopolitical factors is revealed. The author explores the concepts and substance of such phenomena like Reichsidee, Realpolitik, Sonderweg, Machtpolitik, Multilateralism and pays special attention to the problem of public attitudes towards pursued foreign policy.