Liberalism, Romanticism and Nationalism Western Civilization II

Economic Liberalism Adam Smith, The Wealth of Nations (1776): Everyone’s pursuit of self-interest produces the common good Free trade allows each nation to produce what they do best Thomas Malthus, Essay on Population (1798): Population (unchecked) increases much faster than food supply Government aid to the poor only encouraged them to breed more, exacerbating problem

David Ricardo (1772 – 1823) “Iron law of wages” – expanding labor supply will tend to force wages down to lowest possible level Thus agreed with Malthus that government aid to the poor was really counterproductive Believed rent was only permanent source of wealth

Political Liberalism Jeremy Bentham ( ) - Utilitarianism: Hedonistic calculus: maxmimize pleasure, minimize pain. Government should intervene when pain of many outweighs pleasure of few. John Stuart Mill ( ) Called for maximum freedom based on individual sovereignty. Wrote essay with his wife arguing that women should vote & have equal rights.

Liberal Reform in Great Britain Two parties in Parliament: Tories = conservatives Whigs = liberals Peterloo Massacre (1819) Chartists demand universal male suffrage 1832 Reform Act: eliminated “rotten boroughs” Doubled electorate from 478,000 to 814,000 Corn laws repealed in 1846

Romanticism Artistic & intellectual movement, but with subtle political effects Valued subjective, emotional experience above Reason & science Interested in things bizarre, exotic, or fanciful Fairy tales – Bros. Grimm Historical novels – Sir Walter Scott’s Ivanhoe Horror – Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley’s Frankenstein Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley

Romanticism (continued) Celebrated spiritual power of Nature Landscape paintings – J.M.W. Turner William Wordsworth Celebrated genius of great men Beethoven’s 3 rd Symphony Lord Byron Lived Bohemian lifestyle William Blake Samuel Taylor Coleridge

J.M.W. Turner, Fall of the Rhine at Schaffhausen (1806)

William Wordsworth

Sources of Nationalism: Reaction to French Revolution’s nationalism Conservatives’ & Romantics’ emphasis upon history & spirit of people (volkgeist) Need for popular support of government Industrial Revolution improved communication & centralizes government Discontent with economic and social upheavals

Methods of Nationalism: Language = most important, defining element National holidays Reviving or inventing historical traditions Revolutions – 1830, 1848 Used by middle-class liberals to gain power & aristocratic conservatives to retain power Easily turned into hatred of neighboring nationalities in late 19 th century