Rise of Nationalism in Europe

Rise of Nationalism in Europe - Notes

Nationalism is a political and socio-economic philosophy that promotes the interests of a nation as a whole.

The concept of nationalism emerged in Europe during the nineteenth century.

It marked the downfall of feudalism and the beginning of the Renaissance which literally means ‘Rebirth’.

The feeling of nationalism was illustrated by a French artist named Frédéric Sorrieu. In 1848, he prepared a series of four prints visualizing his dream of a world made up of ‘democratic and social Republics’, as he called them.

The painting depicted his dream of a world free of absolutist institutions and the establishment of democratic
and social republics. It also illustrated the Statue of Liberty holding a torch of Enlightenment and the Charter of the Rights of Man.

The concepts of liberty, equality, fraternity, and nationalism dominated the social and political scene of Europe in
the 19th century.

French Revolution: Beginning and Salient Features

Till 1789 France was under an absolute monarchy.

However, 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, thereby, a remarkable reduction in the royal and feudal privileges.

It paved the way for the achievement of bigger goals of national identity and national pride, which can aptly be called nationalism.

The revolution transferred the sovereignty from the monarch to the people.

The ideas of La patrie (the fatherland) and Le citoyen (the citizen) were adopted.

The Estates-General was renamed the National Assembly, which was elected by the body of active citizens.

French armies moved into Holland, Belgium, Switzerland, and Italy in the 1790s with a promise of liberating the people from their despotic rulers.

Napoleon (1769-1821)

Ruled France from 1799 to 1815.

Assumed absolute power in 1799 by becoming the First Consul.

Introduced the Civil Code in 1804 which also came to be known as the Napoleonic Code.

The code established equality before the law and abolished all privileges based on birth.

It also abolished the feudal system and freed peasants from serfdom.
Taxation and censorship were imposed and military services were made mandatory.

The advent of Liberalism in Europe:

During the mid-18th century, Europe was divided into several small kingdoms and principalities. The concept of nation-states did not exist at all. People from diverse ethnic groups lived in Eastern and Central Europe.

The prominent empires in Europe were the autocratic Ottoman Empire that ruled over Eastern and Central Europe, and Greece and the Habsburg Empire that ruled over Austria-Hungary.

Rise of Conservatism and Revolutionaries:

The middle class believed in the freedom and equality of all individuals before the law. Liberalism was used to end aristocracy and clerical privileges. After the defeat of Napoleon Bonaparte in 1815, the European government adopted the idea of conservatism.

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

After 1815, several liberals began working in secret societies all over Europe to propagate their views and train revolutionaries. Revolutionaries were seen as a threat to the restored monarchies, and hence, were repressed.

Giuseppe Mazzini, a famous Italian revolutionary was born in 1807 in Genoa. He was part of a secret society called Carbonari and founded two underground societies called Young Italy in Marseilles, and Young Europe in
Berne.

In 1831, Mazzini was sent into exile for attempting a revolution in Liguria. Mazzini believed in the unification of the small kingdoms and principalities in Italy. These societies were joined by like-minded young men from Poland, France, Italy, and the German states.

 

Terms

Utopian vision: It refers to a vision of a society that is so ideal that it is unlikely to actually exist.

Absolutism: It refers to a system of rule that has no restraints on the power exercised.

Plebiscite: The direct vote of all the members of an electorate on an important public question such as a change in the constitution.

French Revolution: An uprising in France against the monarchy from 1789 to 1799 resulted in the establishment of France as a republic.

Nationalism: An ideology that emphasizes faithfulness, devotion, or allegiance to a nation or nation-state and holds that such obligations outweigh other individual or group interests.

Nation-state: A state that establishes itself as a separate political and geographical entity and functions as a complete and sovereign territorial unit. This concept emerged in 19th century Europe as a result of the development of nationalism.

Modern State: A state in which sovereignty is exercised by a centralized power over a specific territory and population.

Liberal Nationalism: It is a form of nationalism that means- (i) Individual freedom (ii) Equality before the law (iii) Government by consent (iv) Freedom of markets (v) Abolition of state-imposed restrictions on the movement of goods and capital.

Napoleonic Code: The Civil Code of 1804 introduced by Napoleon, is known as the Napoleonic Code. This code did away with all privileges based on birth, established equality before the law, and secured the right to property.

Zollverein: A customs union formed in 1834 at the initiative of Prussia. It abolished tariff barriers and reduced the number of currencies from over thirty to two.

Habsburg Empire: The empire that ruled Austria Hungary including the Alpine regions of Tyrol, Austria, the Sudetenland, and Bohemia.

Ottoman Empire: A former Turkish empire ruled by the Caliph, the spiritual and temporal head of the Muslims.

Ideology: System of ideas reflecting a particular social and political vision.

Conservatism: It is a political and social philosophy promoting traditional social institutions in the context of culture and civilization.

Suffrage: The right to vote in political elections.

 

Personalities

Frédéric Sorrieu: He was a French artist famous for a series of four prints prepared in 1848 that visualized the dream of a world consisting of ‘democratic and social Republics’.

Napoleon (1769-1821): A French military and political leader who gained prominence during the French Revolution. He ruled France from 1799 to 1815. He assumed absolute power in 1799 by becoming the First Consul.

Giuseppe Mazzini: A famous Italian revolutionary who was born in 1807 in Genoa. He was part of a secret society called Carbonari and founded two underground societies called Young Italy in Marseilles and Young Europe in Berne.

Duke Metternich: An Austrian Chancellor who hosted the Congress which was held at Vienna in 1815 and was the chief architect of the Treaty of Vienna.

 

Dates

1797: Napoleon invades Italy; Napoleonic wars begin.

1804: Napoleonic Code was introduced that, did away with all privileges based on birth. Upheld equality before the law.

1814-15: Fall of Napoleon; the Vienna Peace Settlement.

1821: Greek struggle for independence begins.

1832: Greece gained independence.

1834: Zollverein or the Customs Union was formed in Prussia to abolish tariff barriers.

1848: Revolutions in Europe; Artisans, industrial workers, and peasants revolt against economic hardships; middle classes demanded constitutions and representative governments; Italians, Germans, Magyars, Poles, Czechs, etc., demanded nation-states.

 

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