European states struggled to maintain international stability in an age of nationalism and revolutions. Following a quarter-century of revolutionary upheaval and war spurred by Napoleon's imperial ambitions, the Great Powers met in Vienna in 1814-1815 to re-establish a workable balance of power and suppress liberal and nationalist movements for change. Austrian Foreign Minister Klemens von Metternich led the way in creating an informal security arrangement to resolve international disputes and stem revolution through common action among the Great Powers. Nonetheless, revolutions aimed at liberalization of the political system and national self-determination defined the period from 1815 to 1848.
The revolutions that swept Europe in 1848 were triggered by poor economic conditions, frustration at the slow pace of political change, and unfulfilled nationalist aspirations. At first, revolutionary forces succeeded in establishing regimes dedicated to change or to gaining independence from great-power domination. However, conservative forces, which still controlled the military and bureaucracy, reasserted control. Although the revolutions of 1848 were, as George Macaulay Trevelyan quipped, a "turning point at which modern history failed to turn," they set the stage for a subsequent sea change in European diplomacy. A new breed of conservative leader, exemplified by Napoleon III of France, co-opted nationalism as a top-down force for the advancement of state power and authoritarian rule in the name of "the people."
The revolutions that swept Europe in 1848 were triggered by poor economic conditions, frustration at the slow pace of political change, and unfulfilled nationalist aspirations. At first, revolutionary forces succeeded in establishing regimes dedicated to change or to gaining independence from great-power domination. However, conservative forces, which still controlled the military and bureaucracy, reasserted control. Although the revolutions of 1848 were, as George Macaulay Trevelyan quipped, a "turning point at which modern history failed to turn," they set the stage for a subsequent sea change in European diplomacy. A new breed of conservative leader, exemplified by Napoleon III of France, co-opted nationalism as a top-down force for the advancement of state power and authoritarian rule in the name of "the people."
Reading Schedule:
The Aftermath of the Napoleonic Wars (Pgs. 684 - 691) The Spread of Radical Ideas (Pgs. 691 - 697) The Romantic Movement (Pgs. 697 - 703) Reforms and Revolutions Before 1848 (Pgs. 703 - 708) The Revolutions of 1848 (Pgs. 708 - 715) |
Assignments
The Congress of Vienna ended the Napoleonic Wars in a way that was generally acceptable to all the major powers in Europe, even the defeated French. It achieved its goals and it established a general peace on the continent for some 40 years. The participants in the Congress had a deep distrust of nationalism, because it was associated with revolution and republican values.
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