HISTORY LESSON 1

THE RISE OF NATIONALISM IN EUROPE

NATIONALISM IN EUROPE

• Frederick sorrieu, in 1848 visualised world as democratic and social republics

• Emergenve of Nationalism as a force that swept changes in politics and
mentality of Europe
• Development of a concept of nation state with citizens having common identity
and history
FRENCH REVOLUTION AND THE IDEA OF THE
NATION
• French Revolution of 1789 led to the transfer of sovereignty from monarchy to
a body of citizens
• Various practices adopted to develop a sense of collective identity among
people
• Declaration of the mission to liberate Europe from despotism
• Setting up of Jacobin clubs by educated middle class and students of Europe.
MEASURES INTRODUCED TO DEVELOP COLLECTIVE
IDENTITY

• Idea of common citizen was given emphasis.

• Adoption of new constitution with equal rights to all citizens
• Adopted tricolour as new French flag replacing the royal one.
• Adoption of uniform system of weight and measure
• Estate general was renamed as National Assembly
• Abolition of internal custom duties
• Formed a centralised administrative system
• French become the National language
NAPOLEONIC CODE/CIVIL CODE OF 1804
• Privileges based on birth was abolished and equality before law was established
• Administrative divisions were simplified
• Peasants freed from serfdom and manorial dues
• Improvement in transport and communication system
• Adopted a common national currency
• Established right to property
• Abolished feudal system
• Guild restrictions were removed
• Uniform laws and standardised weights and measures
THE MAKING OF NATIONALISM IN EUROPE

• Aristocracy and a new middle class emerged

• Landed aristocracy dominated society the society and politics, though small
and powerful
• Industrialization began in France in the 19th century that led to the evolution of
working and middle classes
• Educated liberal middle classes popularised abolition of aristocratic privileges
LIBERAL NATIONALISM

• In political sphere • In Economic sphere

• Government by consent • Freedom of markets
• End of autocracy • Removal of state imposed restrictions on
• Adoption of constitution movement of goods and capital

• Representative government through • Introduced uniform system of weight

parliament and measure

• Abolition of property rights

• Equality before law
NEW CONSERVATISM AFTER 1815
CONSERVATISM- A BELIEF TO PRESERVE THE OLD
TRADITION OF MONARCHY, CHURCH, SOCIAL SET UP,
PROPERTY AND FAMILY
• Britain, Russia, Prussia and Austria drew the treaty of Vienna in 1815 after
defeating Napoleon
• Main motive was to remove the changes initiated be Napoleon and restore
monarchy
PROVISIONS OF THE TREATY OF VIENNA

• Restoration of the Bourbon dynasty in France

• Territories acquired by Napoleon were taken back
• Prevented French expansion in future
• Prussia was given new territories on its western border including Saxony
• Austria was to control northern Italy
• No changes were made to the German confederation of 39 states
• Russia was to get Poland
FEATURES OF CONSERVATIVE REGIMES

• Conservative regimes were-

• Autocratic
• No tolerance to criticism and dissent
• No questioning of the government was allowed
• Severe censorship was introduced
RISE OF REVOLUTIONARIES IN EUROPE

• Establishment of secret societies to spread the idea of Nationalism and oppose

conservatism
• Mazzini of Italy opposed monarchy
• Mazzini viewed nations to be necessary for humanity
• Inspired other secret societies in Germany, France, Switzerland and Poland
• Mazzini joined one such society of Carbonari
• He found young Italy in Marseilles and young Europe in Berne
• Conservative regimes were frightened by this move
EARLIER REVOLUTION IN EUROPE-19TH CENTURY

• In July 1830 Revolution took place in France

• Bourbon dynasty that came back to power after the defeat of Napoleon
were overthrown by the revolutionaries
• Constitutional monarchy was established in France with Louis Philippe as the
head
• This was a beginning for revolutionaries in other European countries
• Matternich- When France sneezes the rest of Europe catches cold
GREEK WAR OF INDEPENDENCE

• National feeling among educated middle class through Greek war of

independence
• Greece was under ottoman empire since 15th century
• Struggle for independence started in 1821
• Europeans had sympathies to ancient Greek culture
• Greece was the cradle of European civilization
• Treaty of Constantinople 1832 recognised Greece as an independent country
AGE OF REVOLUTION 1830 – 1848
1. ROMANTIC IMAGINATION AND NATIONAL FEELING

• Culture created the idea of a nation

• Art, poetry, stories and music shaped nationalist feeling
• Romantic artists criticized reason and science
• Emotions, Intution and mystical feelings were encouraged
• Popularised true spirit of nation
• Collected local folklore to spread nationalism even among illiterate
• Used vernacular language to resist foreign dominance
2- HUNGER – HARDSHIP AND REVOLTS

• Enormous increase in population all over Europe

• Job opportunities were very less
• Large scale rural migration to cities in search of jobs
• Cities became overcrowded
• Stiff competition between hand made goods and cheap machine made goods
• Peasants were burdened with feudal dues
• Food prices were very high
• Severe food shortage
• Peasants and weavers revolted
3- REVOLUTION OF THE LIBERALS - 1849

• French monarchy was uprooted by the revolt of 1848.

• Liberal middle class demanded constitution and national unification
• In Germany professionals, businesses men, artisants decided to vote for all German national assembly
• Frankfurt parliament was organised in the church of St. Paul
• A new constitution was drafted
• Germany was to be governed through constitutional monarchy
• Social base of parliament shifted to middle class dominance
• Conservative forces suppressed liberals
• Fearing of future Revolution monarchs granted concessions and introduced changes
• Serfdom and bonded labor was abolished
MAKING/UNIFICATION OF GERMANY

• Nationalist sentiments were widespread among middle class Germans

• Middle class tried to unite Germany but we’re suppressed by monarchy and military with the
support of land owners junkars

• Prussia emerged as the most powerfulUnit of Germany

• Otto Von Bismarck become the architect of German unification
• Three wars over seven years were fought against Austria, Denmark and France completed the
unification process
• Prussian King William I became the emperor of United Germany
• Currency, banking, legal and judicial system were legalised
UNIFICATION OF ITALY

• Italy was fragmented between seven states

• Sardinia and Piedmont were the only states ruled by Italian kings
• North Italy under Austrian Habsburg was ruled by the pope
• South Italy was under Bourbon kings of Spain
• Efforts of Mazzini to unite Italy failed in 1831
• King Victor Immanuel of Sardinia- Piedmont took the responsibility to unite Italy.
• Chief minister Cavour through diplomacy alliance with France defeated Austria in 1859
• Garibaldi also joined the alliance and drove the Spanish ruler and thus Italy was united.
THE STRANGE CASE OF BRITAIN

• No British nation existed before 18th century

• Ethnic groups like English, Welsh, Scots inhabited British islands having their own cultural and political bases
• English nation grew in wealth and power, English parliament seized Monarchy in 1688
• Act of union of 1707 between England and Scotland formed United Kingdom of Great Britain
• Systematic suppression of Scottish culture, language by English began and many were removed from their
homeland
• The British helped Protestant against Catholic of Ireland
• Catholic revolt was suppressed in Ireland
• In 1801 Ireland was forcefully incorporated into United Kingdom
VISUALISING THE NATION

• Nations began to be portrayed as female figure called allegory

• Ideas like liberty, justice and republics too were personified as female figure
• Allegories were erected at squares to mark national unity
• Coins and stamps too carried their images
• Marianne represented Republic of France
• Germania portrayed German nation
NATIONALISM AND IMPERIALISM- BALKAN ISSUE

• Balkans became the source of nationalist tension in Europe after 1871

• It was a region of geographical and ethnic variations
• It was inhabited by Slavs and was under the control of Ottoman empire
• Ideas of Nationalism swept over entire Balkan region
• One by one different nations declared their independence through struggles
• Balkan region became the cause of First world war
• It later became an area of conflict among its nationalities
• Each state developed jealousy and hoped to expand at the cost of others
• European powers were struggling to prove their trade and military might over others
• Countries like Russia, Germany, England, Austria Hungary extended their control over Balkan area.