"An Army with a State" - Prussian Militarisation in the 18th Century

"Whereas some states possess an army, the Prussian army possesses a state." Depending on who you ask, this quote may come from Friedrich von Schroetter (a Prussian gov't minister), Honore Gabriel Riqueti (a leader in the French Revolution), or Voltaire (a fool) But regardless of its origins, the meaning of the phrase is quite clear.

Prussia has long been the poster-child for militarism in Europe. But how accurate is the accusation? Just how militarised was Prussian society, and what exactly does this mean in an 18th Century setting? In this video, I discuss the Prussian Cantonment system and how the Prussian army interacted with every-day civil society.