The Rise of Nationalism in Europe
* The concepts of liberty, equality, fraternity and nationalism dominated the social and political scene of Europe during the 19th century.
* Utopian vision refers to a vision of a society that is so ideal that it is unlikely to actually exist.
* Absolutism refers to a system of rule with lot of uncontrolled power; an oppressive monarchical government.
* A plebiscite is a direct vote by which the people of a region are asked to accept or reject a proposal.
French Revolution
* The French Revolution was an influential event that marked the age of revolutions in Europe.
* After the French Revolution, Napoleon Bonaparte emerged as the political leader of France.
* He introduced the civil code of 1804 known as the Napoleonic code.
* Higher taxes, censorship and forced enrolment of people into the French army led to Napoleon’s downfall.
Advent of Liberalism in Europe
* During the mid-18th century, Europe was divided into small kingdoms and principalities.
* In the late 18th and 19th centuries, the middle class came into existence.
* The middle class wanted the end of autocratic rule and form a people’s government; this is where liberalism was born.
* Liberalism implied freedom of markets, and unrestricted movement of goods and capital.
Rise of Conservatism and Revolutionaries
* The autocratic governments of Europe adopted the idea of conservatism after Napoleon’s defeat in 1815.
* Conservatism was a political philosophy that stressed the importance of tradition, established institutions and customs.
* The representatives of European powers met at Vienna after Napoleon’s defeat; this meeting was known as the Treaty or Congress of Vienna.
* After 1815, several liberals began working in secret societies to propagate revolutionary ideas.
Age of Revolution [1830 to 1848]
* The period between 1830 and 1848, Europe saw a series of revolutions in Italy, Germany, Poland, Turkey and Ireland.
* Silesian weavers revolted against their contractors in 1845.
* A food shortage led to the peasant uprising in France in 1848.
* After the French revolution, there was rise of a literary and cultural movement called romanticism, which sought to develop nationalist sentiment.
Revolutions of Liberals and Women
* The history of Europe between 1830 and 1848 was lined with many revolts and uprisings.
* Inspired by France, in Germany, Italy, Poland and the Austro-Hungarian Empire, men and women of the liberal middle class began demanding a constitution, and national unification.
* In Europe, the conservatives tried their best to suppress the liberal movements, but failed miserably.
Women’s rights were championed.
* Liberal revolutionaries exhibited narrow mindedness in their attitude towards women.
* Nation State – Germany, Italy and Britain
* Otto Van Bismarck, Chief Minister of Prussia, played a crucial role in the unification of Germany.
* On January 18, 1871, the Prussian King, Kaiser Williams I, was proclaimed the German Emperor in Versailles.
* Victor Emmanuel II, the King of Sardinia Piedmont, took up the responsibility of unifying Italian states.
* In seventeen hundred seven, the Act of Union between England and Scotland resulted in the formation of the ‘United Kingdom of Great Britain’.
Visualizing a Nation
* During the 18th and the 19th centuries, several symbols were used by artists and revolutionaries to depict abstract concepts.
* Allegories were used to represent freedom and liberty.
* The personification of a nation infused feelings of patriotism and nationalism in people.
Nationalism and Imperialism
* After 1871, there was a significant change in the concept of nationalism in Europe.
* The major European powers began taking advantage of nationalism in Europe, to materialize their aims for imperialism.
* Rivalry among Russia, Germany, England and Austro-Hungary over the disturbed
* Balkan region caused many wars including the First World War.