Europe after Napoleon Liberalism, Conservatism, Romanticism and Idealism

Theories of Society Liberalism - freedom was of fundamental importance essential that men should have the liberty to speak freely and to criticize openly any ideas and institutions Romanticism - it was a characteristic that men sought a cause in which to affirm their belief instincts and emotions were glorified fondness for humility and interest in folklore

Theories Continued Idealism - was a rejection of the rationalism and excessive dependence upon reason of the previous age the ideas of the nature of truth, morality, or the existence God, could not be solved by logic but only by faith Nationalism - it can be explained as being an emotional awareness of the common ties of language, customs, and race that are possessed by a people It manifests itself when a people unite to promote a common political and cultural goals

Theories Continued Conservatism - the force that defended stability and continuity many in Europe believed in a strong monarchy, an established Church, and heredity rights Aristocracy (education & upbringing) were the only ones qualified to govern and set the social and moral values of a society Congress of Vienna was dominated by conservative statesmen, who were determined to return European society and politics to the way it has been before the French Revolution

Congress of Vienna Balance of Power - prohibit any of the great powers from threatening the security of its neighbours domestic security was to be preserved from the unsettling new ideologies of nationalism (Gr.11) and liberalism (Gr. 12) The meeting was chaired by Prince Metternich of Austria

Struggle with Liberalism and Nationalism Louis XVIII had granted a constitution Recognized many of the changes produced by the Revolution Two-house legislature with a limited franchise Charles X (brother of Louis XVIII) Revoked the Charter and restored some land to nobles Louis-Philippe

Louis XVIII Represented a compromise between Royalists and Republicans He issued a constitutional charter (legal equality of French (male) citizens, reconciliation with the Church, abolition of feudalism and maintenance of Napoleonic Code

Buffer Zones To contain future French expansion, strong states were established along its borders Netherlands & Belgium (under the House of Orange) Austria (northern Italy) Prussia (left bank of the Rhine River) Piedmont-Sardinia (Genoa, Nice, Savoy)

Concert of Europe Congress of Vienna was the first attempt to establish some system of collective security Metternich provided leadership in the establishment of the collective will Reinforced through annual meetings 1818, Quadruple Alliance becomes Quintuple after France agreed to pay 700 million francs in reparation payments

Age of Metternich The Hapsburg empire emerged in a much stronger position after the Napoleonic era He imposed rigid control over the multinational empire (Germans, Czechs, Slovaks, Ukrainians, Poles, Serbs, Croats) No criticism of government policy was allowed No one could criticize foreign governments Foreign news was censored (books too) however, there is not much evidence to suggest that the system was very diligent

Charles X France prospered from , but in 1827 the international economy became depressed and French goods were difficult to trade Harvest failures compounded the problem (wine industry too) only 30% of the population met the requirements for elections he fled to England and Louis-Philippe (a Bourbon) was chosen as his replacement changed the age to 30 and an elector to 25

Louis Philippe - bourgeois king LP was unable to solve France’s growing social and economic problems February Revolution (1848) more democratic system of government demanded protest against the corruption of LP regime resistance of Catholics against anticlericalism (opposed the influence of the church) socialist philosophy of amongst the proletariat (Marx)

Napoleon III born to Napoleon I’s brother (king of Holland) tried to take over from LP (1836, 1840) promised order and stability proclaimed the Second Republic of France