The Revolutions of 1848

Revolution without change

Division of Society:i. Monarchyii. Nobility(Aristocracy)iii. Clergy (less influence

now)iv. Middle class (Lawyers,

doctors, factory owners, etc.)

v. Working class vi. Peasantry

Life in the 18th Century:

i. Food shortagesii. Economic recession

(1846-49)iii. Mass urbanisationiv. Overcrowded cities

(highly industrial and polluted)

v. Very low wagesvi. No representation for the

people

Europe before 1848

New Ideas from the Social UnrestLiberalism: Everyone in society is equal.

People should be allowed to select their representatives through democracy.

Everyone should be allowed to express their opinions freely.

Nationalism: Safety and comfort can be found in large numbers.

People who share the following ideas feel connected:

i. Languageii. Historyiii. Cultureiv. Religion

Socialism: Growing number of people working together in factories.

They can now easily share ideas about what is fair.

Low wages make it difficult for people to feed their families.

The ideas of Karl Marx appeal to the Working Class because they promise equality.

“We are sleeping on a volcano,…… a wind of

change blows, the storm of revolution is on the horizon.”

Alexis de Tocqueville.

Anger Erupts: Revolution in France

Rise in censorship and a ban is put on public protests.Banquets are held to provide a way of meeting.

The King, Louis Philippe tries to ban the banquets and sends the police to break them up.

This angers the protesters and revolution begins in the streets of Paris.Barricades are put in the streets to stop all commerce and the city is paralysed.

By the end of February the King abdicates his throne and flees to England.An almost bloodless revolution has taken place.

The Second Republic:Pledges of the Provisional Government:

To set up National Workshops for the unemployed – 100,000 given jobs.

Universal male suffrage introduced – 9 million new voters.

Freedom of speech allowed – 479 new newspapers in 1848 alone.

Conservative reaction to these reforms is negative.

Businesses begin to close as the Nobility and Middle Classes fear a socialist take over.

The June Days Working class riots

erupt when the government shuts down many of the National Workshops.

1400 rioters are killed and the “red scare” is brutally put down.

The end of the road

What part does the conflict between

liberalism, socialism and nationalism play in the

failure of the 1848 Revolutions?

“When France sneezes, Europe catches a cold”

Prince Von Metternich

Revolution Spreads to the Austrian Empire

The Austrian Empire is ruled by the Hapsburg dynasty. The real power of government lies not with the feeble Emperor Ferdinand, but with the Chancellor, Prince Von Metternich.

The Empire consists of many ethnic groups: Germans, Hungarians, Slovenes, Serbs, Croats, Poles, Czechs, Slovaks and Romanians.

The Austrian Empire in 1848

A student revolt erupts in Vienna seeking greater freedom of the press and a more liberal government. Metternich resigns and some concessions are given to the revolutionaries.

Museum der Stadt Wien (Historical Museum of Vienna)

Lajos Kossuth made a speech demanding parliamentary government for Hungary and constitutional government for the rest of Austria.

Hungary Seeks Independence

In Hungary an uprising against Habsburg rule began in front of the national museum in Budapest. Lajos Kossuth, finance minister, assumed control of the revolution in Hungary.

March 1848

Mar – Sept 1848

Lajos Kossuth leads a failed revolt for Hungarian independence. There is very little the weakened Austria can do to stop the revolution.

Early 1849

Russia intervenes in the revolution to help their allies in Vienna and to stop the spread of liberal ideas into Russia. On the 13th August Russia returns control of Hungary to the Austrian Empire.

Mid 1849

1) Although the revolution spreads to all parts of the Austrian Empire, it is never coordinated and suffers from a lack of leadership.

2) The primary ideology is nationalism, where ethnic groups such as the Croats, Czechs and Magyars all see independence. All the different groups are not acting in unison.

3) As with the revolution in France, the Monarchy is able to reassert control when the situation for the working classes become terrible. Crime explodes and starvation sets in.

Why did the Austrian revolts fail?

Lajos Kossuth 1848.

Revolution in Prussia and the German States:

Prussia:

King Frederick William III and Frederick IV are both totally against any form of constitutional monarchy.

A strong middle class in Prussia are seeking reform and a constitutional monarchy, therefore giving themselves greater power.

Riots erupt in Berlin and Frederick William IV surprises everyone by allowing allowing elections for a national assembly. He does this because he fears bloodshed, which would cause the working class to seek reform.

The assembly seeks a united Germany and self government for Polish nationals in the eastern side of Prussia.

The King has no desire to separate his empire and dissolves the parliament, using his very disciplined army to ensure no protests.

Berlin 1848

No piece of paper shall become between myself and my people.

German States:In May 1848 a group of German nationalists meet in Frankfurt to seek a unified Germany that is a constitutional monarchy and has liberal ideals.

In December 1848 a Frankfurt Parliament issue the “Declaration of the rights of the German people”

King Frederick William IV is offered the throne of a Unified Germany however he rejects it because:

1) Fear of war with Austria as they control large parts of Germany.

2) He is against a constitutional monarchy.

The German and Austrian revolts failed because:

Both Austria and Prussia were afraid of a strong and unified Germany. It would be very powerful.

There was very little socialism involved in the revolts and so the working class did not protest on the streets.

Consequences of the 1848 Revolutions

Why did the revolutions fail:

1)There was no single idea or aim to unite all the revolutions. Divided by: Nationalism

SocialismLiberalism

2)There were no strong leaders for any of the revolutions

3)Small concessions were given which took the anger out of the people.

4)The was no international support from places such as Britain, Russia or America.

“We have been beaten and humiliated.... The fate of European democracy has slipped from our hands”Pierre Joseph Proudhon

Long term consequences of the 1848 Revolutions:

1)Both Germany and Italy were unified within the next 20 years.

2)The Hungarians were allowed some self-determination.

3)Prussia eliminated feudalism by 1850.

4)European middle classes were given more control and freedom.

5)France kept universal male suffrage.