Europe After Napoleon THE CONCERT OF EUROPE

I. Congress of Vienna (1815)  Quadruple Alliance: Russia, Prussia, Austria & Great Britain  France was also allowed to attend the gathering  goal: establish a general peace in Europe that would last (and not create another war)  they succeeded  leader: Klemens von Metternich, the Austrian foreign minister  believed in the principle of legitimacy – that lawful royal monarchs (who had ruled before Napoleon) would be restored to their positions of power

 terms re: France  restoration of the Bourbon dynasty (in Louis XVIII)  boundaries as of 1792  united Belgium & Holland under the Dutch monarchy  establishment of the German Confederation (38 independent German states, including Prussia & Austria)  see map, p. 590  the Congress of Vienna established the European “congress system,” in which member nations met periodically to discuss their common interests to help maintain peace in Europe  became the Concert of Europe

II. Ideological Shifts  conservatism: a political philosophy based upon tradition and social stability, favoring obedience to political authority and organized religion  pre-1789 Europe (with its nobility) was the proper form of govt.  Metternich was a strong supporter  principle of intervention: the Great Powers (GB, France, Austria, Prussia & Russia) had the right to send armies into countries to stop revolutions and restore the monarchy to the throne

 liberalism: a political philosophy holding that people should be as free as possible from government restraint and that civil liberties – the basic rights of all people – should be protected  based on Enlightenment principles  supported laissez-faire economic policies (Adam Smith & The Wealth of Nations )

 nationalism: the idea that people who share a common cultural unity – institutions, traditions, language & customs – should join together to form a nation-state  each nationality should have its own government  was a dangerous idea – could potentially upset the balance of power in Europe  nationalism & liberalism worked together in the early 19 th century