Nationalism and Revolutions
"Every nation gets the government it deserves”- Joseph de Maistre (1753-1821).
What were the causes and effects of the various revolutions in the period from 1750 to 1900, including influences of the Enlightenment and emerging nationalism?
ENLIGHTENMENT BEGAIN IN 1685
The French philosopher Joseph de Maistre was a conservative who went against the Enlightenment. This moevent, full of new ideas, led to political conflicts. In the views of conservatives, revolutions were bloody, disruptive, and unlikely to yield positive results.
Even so, the desire of common people fro constitutional government and democratic practices erupted in revolutions in the 19th century. Many governments roose and responded to progress, reason , and natural law.
RIghts were given by God, not a monarch
The American Revolution
European ideals infleuced the American Revolutionn
Physiocrats provided a defense of free market ideas, opposing to mercantilism (Enlgish).
American colonists ha dbvecome independent politically. Colonial legislatures were making decisions usually made by the parliament and the king! Which was facilitated since London was far away. With economic and political desires for independence grew a new social spirit.
Declaratrion of American Independence:
On July 4, 1776, this document expressed the philosophy behind the colonist’s fight against the British rule.
Thomas Jefferson picked up the phrase “unalienable rights” from John Locke, which were the rights to life, liberty, and pursuit of happiness.
In the following war, the colonists triumphed in 1783 with the help of France.
New Zealand Wars
New Zealand had been occupied by the Maori since the mid 1200’s. They lived in their culture, and divided by iwi (individual tribes).
in 1840, the English anexxed the island, and pressured their land. Although a nationalist feeling between the Maori those, in 1872, the British won.
French Revolution
In the 1780’s the slogan “liberte, egalite, et fraternite” summarized France’s revolutionist ideals.
Causes
Philosophes proposed ideas of morality, politics, and economy.
Since France participated in many wars, and spent more than it was taking in (e.g:American revolution). They called the meeting of the Estates-General in the spring of 1789.
Estates general makeup: Clergy (religious official), nobility, and the commoners.
Still, the inequality in voting caused the commoners (97% of french society) to form the National Assembly.
The national assembly began meeting in Paris, but the king threatened to jail the leaders. In return, angry mobs rioted in France, notably Paris.
July 14 1789: crowds invaded the Bastille, a prison that represented the abuses of the monarchy and the corrupt aristocracy.
In the french countryside, peasants rose up against nobles, even burning manor houses.
Some officials fled france, and king was obliged to accept a new government with a Naonal Assembly in charge. Which marked the independence of France (July 14).