... was applied. However the major step was that the members of the union all used the same methods. Currency and the system of weights were the standard. This created a bond between the countries but also bound them to a certain extent to the union, however it was benefiting the countries immensely, in the space of 3 years the Bavaria customs revenue had increased by 1.76 million florins. In 1848 Austria remained outside the zollverein, this gave Prussia economic leadership while Austria still had an element of control over the North German Confederation; 1864 Prussia was indisputably dominant within the Zollverein, which now contained virtually all the German states. This dominance was encouraging to the liberals and nationalists within Prussia and as well as other German states. There was a stable element within the German states and this meant that many felt there was hope of politically unity. ...

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