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II. The Conservative Order (Chapter 21)

Time Period: 1815-1830

Misc.

Conservative in Europe ≠ Trump Conservatism

Periodization of Maps: Check HRE/Germany unification

A. Congress of Vienna’s Conservatism

  • Meeting of countries after Napoleon to prevent future revolutions and Napoleons

  • How do we keep conservatism and not have another revolution in Europe?

  • Metternich (from Austria) led, revolving around legitimacy → Bourbon restoration

    • Only real legitimacy are kings; a king must rule France, not the people

    • Last Louis: Louis XVIII

    • Chancellor of Austria

  • Established Russia-controlled Poland

    • New countries watched by conservative kings

  • Goal: Balance of Power via new kingdoms (Netherlands, Piedmont, Prussian gains)

    • Potential revolutionaries → watched by stronger conservative

    • Loyal conservative nations → rewarded (e.g. Prussia)

    • Checking revolutionary power

  • Conservatives support: gradual change, counterrevolutionary, authoritarian

  • Anti: civil liberties, upheaval, republican government, nationalism

  • Congress of Vienna creates Concert of Europe: status quo, interventionism

  • Spanish Revolt of 1820 crushed by Bourbons (France invades Spain)

    • People still have revolutionary ideals from Napoleon

  • Interventionism supported revolt in Greece for independence (from Turks)

    • Supporting Greece to weaken Turks (religion motivated)

    • Puts conservative German king to rule Greece

B. Conservative States

  • Great Britain: Tories Corn Laws benefited landowners, angered working class

    • Made corn more expensive

    • More money for farmers/landowners, bad for workers

    • Workers revolt, Peterloo Massacres ensue

    • Gov not siding with protesting workers = conservative

  • France’s Louis XVIII: bi-cameral legislative body, moderate

    • Trying to keep the peace between liberals vs. ultraroyalists

  • Charles X: ultraroyalist, hates revolutionaries, established Catholic control

    • Brother of XVIII

    • Dissolved legislature

    • Pushes France to the brink of revolution again

  • Italian States: Austria dominated, Carbonari plotted revolution

  • Spain: Bourbons, reactionary/conservative Ferdinand VII = revolt

    • Leads to French intervention

  • Prussia: FW III abolished serfdom, self government (top-down appointed local gov), education

  • German States: Liberal Burschenschaften → shutdown by Metternich via Karlsbad Decrees

C. Russian Autocracy

  • Alexander I

    • Relaxed censorship

    • Freed prisoners

    • Reformed education

    • Reactionary conservative post-Napoleon

  • Death of Alexander I

    • Konstantin declines Tsardom, not telling military

    • Nicholas assumes Tsar, but military, liberal-leaning, revolts in Decembrist Revolt over succession

    • Used as an opportunist undertaking, not necessarily an outrage

    • Crushed by Nicholas I, now an autocrat

  • Nicholas I

    • Strengthened bureaucracy and secret police

    • Top-down, serving the state/monarch/king/Nicholas

    • Absolutist feel

    • No tolerance to liberalism

    • Willingness to use Russian troops to crush revolution