In 1800-1870, the period was marked by industrial revolution and the wave of liberal nationalist across the world transformed most nations. The industrial revolution in the early to mid 19th century turned the Great Britain as the first and the wealthiest industrialized nation. This was actualized by a series of advanced technology in the production of cotton, iron and coal. In addition well-structured infrastructure such as steam-powered locomotives and railroad tracks reduced the cost of shipping goods.
The industrial revolution spread to both Europe and North America. This had a considerable social impact that included the rapid growth of cities and an emergence of industrial middle class (Fiero 27). The depressed working conditions of the industrial class paved way to socialism which aimed at improving working conditions through government bodies. After the defeat of Napoleon, the Great Britain, Prussia, Austria and Russian met regularly to restore the old conservative order and establish stable borders.
However many liberals, who were middle class men, opposed the old order and demanded a new constitution and voting right as the landowners. In 1830, the king of France was overthrown by upper middle class and a constitutional monarchy planted. Revolution in Italy and Poland failed tremendously in the same year. In 1848, the serious economic crisis in France led to revolt of the French working class. This led to formation of Second Republic under Louis-Napoleon.
National Confederacy and National State Confederacy occurred at different times throughout North America and Europe. Due to the growth in prosperity, the Great Britain avoided revolution in 1848. In 1852, Hungarians were granted their rights by Austria and Czar Alexander II freed the serfs in Russia. Alexander II was assassinated and later his son succeeded him and introduced the repressive rule.
The three main points discussed at the Congress of Vienna included compensation, legitimacy, balance of power and territorial rewards for those countries that made sacrifices to defeat Napoleon. In addition, the map of Europe was revised to ensure that peace prevailed in the future. A series of meetings by the European international relations were held by the great powers to define and monitor status quo. However, the balance of power was agitated in 1870 by the Germans. Conservatism arose from the traditional ruling groups which were also supported by the peasants. The conservatives viewed history as a continuum and expected no single generation to revoke it.
Most liberals came from middle classes and were reformist and political in nature. They were involved in various revolutionary movements in the early 19th century. For instance, the ten constitution introduced between 1815 and 1848 were propagated by the liberals. In addition, they advocated for free trade (economic individualism) and the balance of power (Fiero 38). The power of liberalism in economics was later demonstrated in the reform measures adopted across Europe.
This however affected the Germany student organizations and saturated in Prussian life. The regenerative force of liberals raised the degree of consciousness among regions having common soil, history, traditions, culture and nationalism. This however led to the breakdown of society’s traditional loyalties to dynastic state, region and church. Prompted by the French Revolution, new loyalties were introduced. That is, the concept of nation being united by a common language, folkways of their people and literature which stimulated nationalist feelings. In 1815-1833, was termed as years of “Repression, Reform and Revolution” Order and Stability.
Although the Vienna peace settlement had signaled the triumph of the political and social conservative order in Europe, the conservative leadership faced dramatic conflicts among its members. The empire of Napoleon reduced over 300 German states to 39 states. In 1870, France declared war on Prussia but within a few months, French men were totally defeated. It was not leniently treated as Austria and had to pay a huge indemnity. When Austria lost its war to Prussian in 1866, the Hungarians saw their chance for autonomy. Serbia had gained its autonomy in 1817 with Greece gaining its independence in 1836 (Fiero 156).
Work Cited
Fiero, Gloria K. Humanistic Tradition Book 5: Romanticism Realism and the Nineteenth- Century World. Mcgraw-Hill Publishing Company: New York, NY, 2005.