Wilhelm II reverts to absolutism

[RogueBeaver]

According to Margaret MacMillan, Wilhelm repeatedly thought about abolishing the Constitution and reverting to absolutism but never followed up. Let's say he does follow up on an idea that's batcrap even by his standards and does that, using the military and aristocratic support to shut down any opposition. How violent do things get? Does the SPD mobilize and try and start a civil war? Or do things calm down after martial law?

[Lumine]

Well, it's certainly going to get ugly... But I guess the potential results also depend on the date. No way he pulls that after the Daily Telegraph affair with most of his prestige gone, and Bismarck is too strong (and he still has a working Reichstag coalition) in the first couple of years. Perhaps he uses his popularity right after Bismarck's dismissal to push for absolutism? He could go ahead with Bismarck's anti labor and anti socialist projects before dismissing him to weaken the SPD.

[Middle-aged Europe]

Probably prevents WWII because Germany becomes a communist country until the end of WWI.