Ch1 The Rise of Nationalism in Europe (NOTES)

Topics

• Intoduction
• Frederic Sorrieu Dream
• The French Revolution and the Idea of the Nation
• French Revolution
• Civil Code of 1804
• The Making of Nationalism in Europe
• The Aristocracy and the New Middle Class
• What is Liberal Nationalism stand for ?
• A New Conservatism after 1815
• The Revolutionaries
• The Age of Revolutions : 1830-1848
• The Romantic Imagination and National Feeling
• Hunger, Hardship and Popular revolt
• 1848: The Revolution of the Liberals
• The Making of Germany and Italy
• Germany-Can the Army be the Architect of a Nation?
• Italy Unified
• The Strange Case of Britain
• Visualising the Nation
• Nationalism and The Imperialism

0. Introduction

During the nineteenth century, the idea of nationalism made changes in Political and mental world of Europe.

0.1 Frederic Sorrieu Dream

In 1848, Frederic Sorrieu, a French artist, prepared a series of four prints, visualizing his dream of a world made up of ‘democratic and social republics’, as he called them.

• The first print shows , the people of Europe and America
• Marching in a long train and offering homage (respect or reverence) to Statue of Liberty.
• Statue of Liberty carries a torch of enlightenment in one hand and the Charter of the Rights of Man, in the other hand.
• On the earth lies the shattered remains of the symbols of absolutist (Absolute monarchy) institutions..
• In Sorrieu’s Utopian vision, the people of the world are grouped as distinct nations, identified through their flags and national costumes.
• USA and Switzerland, become nation state and leading the procession, followed by France and Germany. Following Germany are Austria, Kingdom of the two Sicilies, Lombardy, Poland, England, Ireland, Hungary and Russia. 
• From the heavens above, Christ, saints and angels gaze at the scene. The artist symbolizes fraternity among the nations of the world.

1. The French Revolution and the Idea of the Nation

The French Revolution in 1789 was an influential event that marked the age of revolutions in Europe. The major outcome of the revolution was the formation of a constitutional monarchy and a sizeable reduction in the royal and feudal privileges

1.1 French Revolution

Started on 14th July,1789

Steps taken by French Revolutionaries to create a sense of collective identity amongst the French people:

• Ideas of La patrie (the fatherland) and Le citoyen (the citizen) means equal rights in constitution
• New Tri colour French Flag
• Estates General was elected and renamed National Assembly (Estates General was elected by Active citizens)
• New hymns composed and oaths taken (hymns=festive song in praise of gods or heroes)
• Centralized administration system
• Internal customs duties and dues were abolished
• Uniform system of weights and measures were introduced
• French became the common language
• Jacobins Clubs were all over european countries (Jacobin club led by Maximilien Robespierre)

1.2 Napolean - Civil Code of 1804 / Napoleonic Code

Points to ponder about Napolean:-

• Ruled France from 1799 to 1815.
• Introduced standardised weight and measures in france and a common national currency.
• French conqured regions (like Holland & switzerland) has mixed feeling of freedom and hostility due to increased taxes, imposed censorship and not having political freedom.
• Napolean took away Political freedom, increased taxes, imposed censorship and forced people to join french army.

Civil Code of 1804 / Napoleonic Code

Points to ponder about Napoleonic or civil code :-

• Equality before the law was established
• Secured the right to property
• Simplified administrative measures
• Abolished feudal system
• Freed peasants from serfdom (the state of being a serf or feudal labourer) and manorial dues (fees given to land owner)
• Guild restrictions (trade or manufacturing) were removed.
• Transport and communication systems were improved.

2. The Making of Nationalism in Europe

There were no Nation states in Europe because of not 

• Common identity.
• Common culture.
• Having many different languages.

Example: Hungary half of the population spoke Magyar other half spoke variety of dialects and in Galicia people spoke Polish.

2.1 The Aristocracy and the New Middle Class

Aristocracy:-

• The land Owning class.
• Spoke French to show their ethics and supremacy, connected by ties of marriages.
• Numerically a small group 

Peasantry:-

• Majority of population 
• Illiterate

Middle Class

• New Social class emerged with the growth of towns and emergence of commercial classes.
• Educated class where ideas of nationality gained popularity.
• Only thinkers for the betterment of their society

2.2 What is Liberal Nationalism stand for ?

Liberalism came from a latin word liber means freedom.

• Middle class understood freedom and the french revolution results-
• End of autocracy and clerical privileges
• A constitution and representative government through parliament
• But (In France) Men above 21 years of age and having property are given right to vote and considered as "Active Citizens". Womens and others are called "Passive Citizens".
• In 1834 a custom union or zollverein was formed by Prussia, which abolished tarrif barriers and reduced the number of currency from over 30 to 2.

2.3 A New Conservatism after 1815

In 1815 Napoleon defeated in waterloo by the alliance of Britain, Russia, Prussia and Austria.

(Conservatism is a political philosophy that stressed the importance of tradition, established institutions and customs and preferred gradual development to quick change.)

• Conservatism government were autocratic.
• They do not tolerate criticism,
• Supress criticisers,
• Imposed censorship laws.

Treaty of Vienna (1815)

Alliance (Britain, Russia, Prussia and Austria) drew a treaty in Vienna for the settlement of Europe and to restore monarchy.

• Bourbon dynasty was restored in France
• States were created on French boundaries for preventing further expansion of France.
• Netherland and Belgium - North
• Genoa was added Piedmont - South
• New territories to Prussia - West
• Poland was given to Russia - East
• Austria control - North Italy
• Saxony given to - Prussia

2.4 The Revolutionaries

Revolutionaries at this time meant a commitment to oppose monarchical forms that had been established after Vienna congress, and to fight for liberty and freedom.

Giuseppe Mazzini

• Born in Genoa (Italy) in 1807
• A member of the Secret Society of Carbonari
• Founded two secret societies or groups :-
• Young Italy in Marseilles (France),
• Young Europe in Berne (Switzerland).
• Believed in the unification of Italy into a republic.
• Called as Most dangerous enemy of Social Disorder (conservatism) by Duke Metternich (Austrian chancellor)

3. The Age of Revolutions : 1830-1848

Series or chain of revolutionaries activities in Europe

July Revolution: (1830)

• In July 1830, Bourbon kings of France were overthrown
• A Constitutional monarchy (led by Louis Philippe) was established.

Greek Revolution: (1821-1832)

• Revolution started in Brussels (capital of Belgium) & a reason of breaking away of Belgium from UK of Netherlands.
• In 15th century, Greece which had been a part of the Ottoman Empire got its freedom after a long series of struggle.
• Treaty of Constantinople of 1832 recognised Greece as an independent nation.

3.1 The Romantic Imagination and National Feeling

• Culture played an important role in creating the idea of the nation: art and poetry, stories and music helped to expressed and shape nationalist feelings.
• Romanticism was considered as a culture movement sought to develop a particular form of nationalist sentiments.
• German philosopher Johann Gottfried Herder tried to discovered culture among common people, through folk songs, folk poetry and folk dances.

3.2 Hunger, Hardship and Popular revolt

• In the first half of 19th century saw an enormous increase in population.
• In most countries there were more seeker of jobs than employment.
• Population moved to the cities to get any work, there they live in overcrowded slums.
• The rise of food prices and a year of bad harvest led to widespread pauperism (poverty or generally the state of being poor) in town and country.
• In 1848, widespread unemployment brought the population of Paris out on the roads and Louis Philippe was forced to flee (to run away) and National Assembly proclaimed a Republic.
• In 1845, weaver in Silesia led a revolt against contractor
• to increase there drastically reduced payments.
• In exchange of this revolt 11 weavers were shot

3.3 1848: The Revolution of the Liberals

Led by educated middle class who wants to create their nation state and demands for their constitution.

Frankfurt Parliament

• On 18 May 1848, members of political associations elected 831 representatives (mainly middle class) who took their places in the Frankfurt Parliament convened in the Church of St. Paul and drafted a Constitution for the German nation.
• It was opposed by King of Prussia (Friedrich Wilhelm IV) and also lost its social basis as no rights were given to work and women.
• It forced the autocratic monarchs to introduce some changes – serfdom and bonded labour was abolished in Habsburg dominions. 
• The Habsburg rulers granted more autonomy to the Hungarians in 1867.

4. The Making of Germany and Italy

4.1 Germany-Can the Army be the Architect of a Nation?

• In 1848, middle class Germans tried to unite the different regions of the German confederation into nation state governed by an elected parliament.
• Efforts of nation building were brutally suppresed by the monarchy, military and large land owners (Junkers) of Prussia.
• Prussian chief minister, Otto von Bismarck helped Germans nation unification and fought three wars over seven years.
• First - Austria
• Second - Denmark
• Third - France 
• Prussia won all wars and Prussian king, William I was proclaimed German Emperor in January 1871 in Versailles

4.2 Italy Unified

• In middle 19th century Italy divided into seven states of which only Sardinia Piedmont was ruled by an Italian Princely state.
• North was ruled under Austrian Habsburg.
• Centre was ruled by the Pope.
• Southern region was ruled by Bourbon kings of Spain.
• In 1830, a unification programme was initiated by Giuseppe Mazzini, but in 1831 as well as in 1848 it failed.
• Chief minister led the movement with the help of Giuseppe & Garibaldi.
• In 1861, Victor Emmanuel II was proclaimed king of united Italy.

4.3 The Strange Case of Britain

• Before 18th century, Britain was not a nation state 
• There were four ethnics groups
• English nation grew in wealth, importance and power, thus extend its influence and power.
• English parliament seized monarchy in 1688  
• The  Act of Union 1707 resulted in the formation of the 'United kingdom of Great Britain'.
• In 1801, Ireland was forcibly taken by the British after the failed revolution.
• A new 'British Nation' was founded through the propagation of a dominant English culture.
• The symbols of new Britain are:- 
• nation flag - Union Jack,
• national anthem - God Save Our Noble King.

5. Visualising the Nation

• Nation were portrayed as female figure
• Christened Marianne in France &
• Germania in Germany
• Female figures were chosen to personify the nation and did not stand for any particular woman in real life.

6. Nationalism and The Imperialism

• The Balkans comprised modern-day Romania, Bulgaria, Albania, Greece, Macedonia, Croatia, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Slovenia, Serbia, and Montenegro (all these commonly known as Slavs)
• Balkans was a region of geographical and ethnic variation and was under the control of Ottoman Empire.
• The idea of Romanticism (Romantic Nationalism) made this region disintegrated and very explosive.
• All states were fiercely jealous of each other and hoped to gain more territory.
• Europeans also wanted to extend their control over the area.
• This led to a series of wars in the region and finally resulted in the Global War (first world war)
• After WWII Global war was named as World war 1 (WWI)