MAKING OF NATIONALISM IN EUROPE

European countries were ruled in19th century by various dynastic rulers over regions having diverse population.
For example, Habusburg Dynasty ruled over regions of Austria, Hungry, Italian provinces of Lombardy and Venetia, German speaking Sudetenland and Polish speaking Galicia.
In Hungry common people spoke Magyar, while the other half spoke a variety of languages.
Besides these dominant groups, there also lived a no. of subject peasants
- In the north Bohemians and Slovaks.
- In south lived Slovenes in Carrillo and Croats.
- In the east in Transylvania lived Romans.
Except for allegiance to a common ruler, there was hardly any political unity in Europe.

THE ARISTOCRACY AND THE NEW MIDDLE CLASS.

Landed Aristocracy was the dominant class in the continent.
They owned Estates in the countryside and also town houses.
They spoke French language for living in high society.
The no. of this powerful Aristocracy was however less.
Their families were often connected by the ties of marriages.
Majority of the population was of tenant peasants.
In the west majority of the land was cultivated by small farmers and tenants and in the eastern and central Europe there were vast estates owned by landlords and cultivated by tenants,
In the western and central Europe there was growth of industrial production and trade leading to the growth of towns and commercial classes.
With the industrialization, there began the growth of a new social group of working class, middle class having industrialists, businessmen and professionals.
In central and eastern Europe these groups were smaller in no.
This educated and middle class only later on adopted the ideas of national unity.

WHAT DID LIBERAL NATIONALISM STANDS FOR?

Ideas of national unity were closely related to the ideology of liberalism.
The term liberalism has been derived from the Latin word ‘liber’, meaning free.
For the new middle class liberalism stood for freedom and for others it stood for equality of all before the law.
Politically it means government by consent.
Since the French revolution liberalism meant for the end of autocracy and a government having parliament with the representatives of the people.
They also stood against the private property.

POLITICAL LIBERALISM

So far equality before the law did not mean universal adult franchise.
In France the right to vote and get elected was given only to the property owners.
Women were also not allowed to vote.
Only Jacobins allowed adult franchise for a short period.
However Napoleon reduced the status of women of a minor in a patriarchal society.
So throughout the 19th century women and non propertied people organized movements in protest.

ECONOMIC LIBERALISM

Liberalism stood for the freedoms of markets and abolition of state imposed restrictions.
During 19th century this was a strong demand of the existing middle class.
For example Napoleon crated out of countless small principalities a confederation of 39 states.
Each of these states had their own currency and weights and measures.
A merchant traveling in 1833 from Habusberg to Nuremberg to sell his goods had to pass through 11 customs barriers.
Duties were often levied according to the weights and measurements of the goods.
Such conditions were not good for the creation of a uniform economic system in all the territories.
in 1834 a common union or’ zullverein ‘ was formed by Prussia and later on joined by most of the German states.
This union abolished tariff barriers and reduced the number of currencies from thirty to two.
The introduction of railways further helped in the mobility.

A NEW CONSERVATISM AFTER 1815

After the defeat of Napoleon in1815 there was CONSERVATISM in Europe.
Conservatives believed in the resetting of monarchy, the church, social hierarchy properties and families.
Conservatisms believed that modernization in fact strengthen traditional monarchy.
It could make state powers more effective and strong.
Conservatism believed a modern army, an efficient bureaucracy, a dynamic economy and abolition of feudalism and serfdom could strengthen the monarchies in Europe

CONGRESS OF VIENNA

After the defeat of Napoleon, European powers--- Britain, Russia, Prussia and Austria met at Vienna.
The congress was hosted by Austrian Chancellor Duke Metternich.
The Bourbon Dynasty was restored to power and France had lost all the territories it had occupied under Napoleon.
Kingdom of Netherlands was set up in north and Genoa was added to Piedmont, an Italian empire.
But the German confederation of 39 stated that had been set up by Napoleon was left untouched.
In the east, Russia was given Poland while Prussia was given a portion of Saxony.
The main intention behind all this was to restore monarchies, a new conservative order in Europe.

CONSERVATIVE REGIMES.

Almost all the conservative regimes set up in 1815 were autocratic.
They did not tolerate criticism and neither accept anything against autocratic govts
Most of them imposed censorship on press, plays and songs which reflected the idea of liberty and fraternity.
The memory of French Revolution continued to inspire liberals.
One of the major issues taken up by liberal nationalists, was the freedom of press.

THE REVOLUTIONARIES.

The fear of repression drove many liberal nationalists underground to form’ Secret Societies’’, to train revolutionaries and spread their ideas.
A revolutionary used to have commitment to oppose monarchical form of govt. that had been established after Vienna Congress
These revolutionaries believed in liberty and freedom from the monarchies and establishment of Nation States

ROLE OF MAZZINI

An Italian revolutionaries Mzzini also became a member of the secret society.
As a young man of 24, he was sent to exile in 1831 for attempting a revolution.
He then founded two more societies-
--- Young Italy in Marseilles
--- Young Europe in Berne.
Their members had similar views. They were from Poland France, Italy and German states.
Mazzini believed that God wanted nations to be united.
So he wanted Italy to be unified into a single unit or a united nation.
Mazzini’s opposition to Monarchy frightened the conservatives

ASSIGNMENT.

Why was ‘Zollverein’ set up in Prussia in 1834? What was its significance?
Who was Metternich?
Name four European powers that collectively defeated Napoleon.
With what aim was the treaty of Vienna signed?
Name two secret societies set up in Italy in the early 19th century.
Who was Mazzini? What was his role in the unification of Italy?


AGE OF REVOLUTIONS:: 1830—1848

LIBERAL NATIONALISM—

The first upheaval took place in France in 1830.
These revolutions were led by liberal nationalists belonging to educated middle class elite, consisted of professors, school teachers, clerks and traders etc.

FRENCH REVOLUTION OF 1830—

The first upheaval took place in France in 1830.
The Bourbon kings were now overthrown by liberal revolutionaries and they installed constitutional monarchy with Louis Philippe as its head.
Metternich remarked that” When French sneezes, rest of the Europe catches cold.”, means anything which began in France, spreads like fire in other European countries.
For example Belgium broke away from the Kingdom of Netherlands.

GREEK WAR OF INDEPENDENCE---

Nationalist feeling of educated elite was mobilized by Greek war of independence.
Greece was a part of Ottoman Empire since 15th century.
Greeks began their struggle of independence in 1821.
Nationalists in Greece got support from the Greeks living abroad and from some western European countries, who had sympathies for ancient Greek culture.
Poets and artists had supported this nationalist struggle
Finally in the treaty of Constantinople, Greece became independent in 1832..