kq1 & 2 - how far did economic and political setbacks weaken austria’s position by 1862?

absolutism

• 1852- prince schwarzenberg died

• replaced by franz josef who was first minister and emperor

• army loyal to him- absolutist state

result of absolutist state

• aspects of liberal government short lived

• liberal constitution passed 1849

• discarded following punctation of olmutz 1851

role of karl ludwig von bruck

• austrian minister of commerce

• revived grossdeustchland plan

• wanted mittel europa incorporating all habsburg crowns

how was prussia weakened?

• punctation of olomouc- 1850

  • prussia had to abandon the erfurt union

  • accepted austria as leaders of federal diet and confederation

why was diet insignificant?

• no real power to affect matters

• voted on trivial matters of no concern to state government

crimean war

• 1853-1856

• britain, france, mediterranean declared war on russia for attempting to take territory from the ottoman empire

• austria mobilised army in fear of russian invasion

• first defeat in diet → prussia refused and other states reluctant

• painted as expansionist war mongers that only wanted to use german resources for their personal gain

austrian economic and financial issues

• slower to exploit natural resources than prussia

• took longer to abolish feudal ties in countryside

• military action 1848-9 left austria short of money

  • prussia enjoyed tax surpluses from 1851 reform

  • subjugation of hungarian insurection took over a year with 2 major invasions

  • war against Piedmont Sardinia took tens of thousands of troops

austrian political problems

• absolutist state with an emperor that didn’t care about economics

  • general staff discouraged railway building

  • considered a waste of money

• prussia had economic liberalism and political conservatism

minor austrian growth economically

• liberalised manorial systems

• encouraged tenant farmers to purchase their own farms

austrian international setbacks

• 1815- congress of vienna set up to keep peace in europe

• assumed 5 powers (austria, russia, prussia, britain, france) wouldn’t fight each other

• would police revolution together & prevent unrest

• 1859- french joined piedmontese army and defeated austria at battle of magenta & solferino

  • lost 40 year+ hegemony in italy

  • lombardy annexed as part of peace treaty

  • losing to french was a huminilation

austrian military doctrine

• switched to shock tactics and fire tactics

• grave consequences in 1866 seven weeks’ war

zollverein development

• 1854- hanover and oldenburg joined- 2 large northern german states

  • coverage of all states in confederation excluding austria and 2 others

  • kleindeutschland economic situation was a good forerunner to a political one

• zollverein officials had the right to negotiate international tariffs

  • expanded german economy with foreign market

financial banking of prussia

• 1851- disconto geselleschaft founded in berlin

  • by david hansemann who was minister for finance in 1848

• 1853- the darmstadter und national bank

  • provided venture capital for industry

  • underwrote state loans for government

  • major joint stock banks

increased industrial production of prussia in mining

• 1846- german confederation mined 3.2 million tonnes of coal annually

• 1860- 12.3 million

• 1870- 30 million

• 1850-70- miners in Saarland went from 5,000 to 20,000

prussia challenging britain

• could utilise their latest technology in industrialisation

• by 1860s- ruhr coalfields were larger and more efficient than those in south wales

increased industrial production of prussia in cities

• 1850-70- 1 million+ new buildings in prussia

• investment in non agricultural buildings increased x4

increased industrial production of prussia in manufactured goods

• almost ¼ of Prussians were engaged in apparel production

  • included shoes, clothes, hosiery

increased industrial production of prussia in productivity

• 1850-70- average of areas productivity rose by 4.8%

• railway production rose by 14%

increased industrial production of prussia in industries

• 1850-70- average of areas productivity rose by 4.8%

• railway production rose by 14%

increased industrial production of prussia in industries

• new ones developed

  • chemical companies like BASF started making pharmaceuticals etc.

  • 1849- 650 steam engines

  • 1860s- 10,000

expansion of railways and state investment

• 1841: 351 (austria), 375 (prussia)

• 1865: 3,700 (austria), 6,900 (prussia)

  • income tax of 1851 allowed prussian investment