How was the German fleet financed to the point that it strained the state?
Short answerFleet laws passed with Reichstag and Kaiser support compelled the treasury to fund them, even without full government backing.
NotesThe answer distinguishes German naval-law financing from a normal annual budget choice. Once a fleet law passed with the necessary Reichstag and imperial support, the treasury had to provide the money even when the sitting government did not favor the burden. Political approval of the law therefore came before, and could override, later treasury resistance to its cost. That structure helped turn long-range force plans into fiscal obligations.