the romantic age, 1815-1848: the revolutions of 1848 “the springtime of the peoples”
TRANSCRIPT
The Romantic Age, 1815-1848:The Revolutions of 1848
“The Springtime of the Peoples”
The turning point at which history failed to
turn. --- George Macaulay Trevelyn [1937]
The turning point at which history failed to
turn. --- George Macaulay Trevelyn [1937]
Causes
IndustrializationEconomic challenges to rulers.
Rapid urbanization
Unemployment!
Ideological ChallengesLiberalism, nationalism, democracy, socialism.
RomanticismRepressive Measures of the Congress System
Carlsbad Decrees
Secret police created in many European states.Not coherently organized revolts
They were specific to each state
Few to little connections between them
Russia and England did not have revolts
Centers of Revolution in 1848
France
Louis Philippe, “The Pear,” 1848
Prince Louis: Not Too Steady!
Victor Hugo & Miguel de Girardin try to raise Prince Louis upon a shield. [Honoré Damier’s lithograph
published in Charavari, December 11, 1848].
The February RevolutionWorking class & liberals unhappy with King LouisProtesters fired upon by the kingNational Guard defects to the radicalsLouis adbicates.
Provisional Goverment
New government declared by a coalition of groupsConservatives & liberals are suspicious of republicanism
Too reminiscent of the Reign of Terror.
National Workshops created
Tried to alleviate unemployment
Failed, unemployment, taxes, and inflation rose
Coalition split between conservatives and radicalsLouis Blanc
The “June Days”
Worker groups in Paris rose up in insurrection. Class Warfare!
They said that the government had betrayed the revolution.
Workers wanted a redistribution of wealth.
Barricades in the streets.Victor Hugo’s Les Miserables was based on this event.
A new liberal-conservative coalition formed to oppose this lower class radicalism.
Paris: To the Barricades Again!
The 2nd French Republic (1848-1852)
New constitution formed with a president
Louis Napoleon Bonaparte wins the election
Represses the socialists and republicans
Fallous Law 1850
1851 Coup d’Etat
Louis Napoleon declares himself emperor
National plebiscite confirms him
Emperor Napoleon III
AustriaAustria
The Austrian Empire: 1830
The nature of the AustrianEmpire:
Very conservative monarchy[liberal institutions didn’texist].
Culturally and racially heterogeneous.Social reliance on serfdomdooms masses of people to a life without hope.Corrupt and inefficient.Competition with an increasingly powerful Prussia.
Problems of Austria
Therefore, the Empire was vulnerable to revolutionary challenges.
Ferdinand I (1793-1875)
The “February Revolution” in France triggered a rebellion for liberal reforms.March 13 rioting broke out in Vienna.
The Austrian Empire collapsed.Metternich fled.Constituent Assembly met.Serfdom [robot] abolished.
The revolution began to wane and the revolutionary government failed to govern effectively.
The “March Days”
June, 1848
Bohemia was split between Pan-Slavs & Pan-Germans.Prague Conference:
Developed the idea of Austro-Slavism.A constitution & autonomy within the Habsburg EmpireFeared Germanization.
The Austrian military ultimately attacked Prague, occupied Bohemia & crushed the rebellion. The Prague
Barricades
The Hungarian Revolution
The New Austrian Emperor Franz Joseph I [r. 1848-
1916]
Bach System
NO NATIONALISM!
Italy
Upheaval in Italy, 1848
Italian nationalists sought to end foreign ruleVenice rebelled and Piedmont-Sardinia attacked Austria
Italy, 1849
Giuseppe Mazzini established a Roman Republic in 1849 protected by Giuseppe Garibaldi. Pope Pius IX forced to flee.Austrian crushed Sardinia-Piedmont.French troops take back the Papal States.Victor Emmanuel II takes the throne in Sardinia-Piedmont.
Germany
German Conferedation
Structure
Zolleverein
Mad as a hatter!Anti-liberal, but an ‘Arthurian’ medieval romantic [Cinderella’s Castle].
Agricultural romantic.
Relied on Junker support.
March DaysRiots in Berlin
Army crushed them, but then withdrew
Prussia
Frederick William IV of Prussia(1840-1861)
Frankfurt AssemblyFrankfurt AssemblyMeeting of German nationalists
Big question – Habsburgs or Hohenzollerans?
Choose Habsburgs
Rejected by Habsburgs
Fails
Prussian Constitution of 1850
Prussian Constitution of 1850
Single parliament for all of PrussiaAlmost three estates like with universal male suffrageEnded serfdomJunkers went along because they got more propertyIncreased Prussia’s status amongst the other German States
SummarySummaryRevolutions of 1848 demonstrated that the old states could control their populations, but not well
Revolutions of 1848 the end of Romanticism & “democracy”
Set up a period of hard-core, violent nationalism to follow