Nationalism and Political Revolution Notes

Nationalism and Political Revolution

Enlightenment Ideas and Revolution

  • The Enlightenment's emphasis on natural rights and the social contract significantly influenced political thought and revolutions.
  • Natural Rights (John Locke): Rights inherent to all humans, not granted by governments. These include life, liberty, and property.
  • Social Contract: The idea that government's power comes from the people, who willingly give up some power to the government in exchange for protection of their natural rights.
  • Enlightenment thinking led to the belief that governments should protect rights, operate democratically, and be constitutional.

The American Revolution

  • The American Revolution was fueled by Enlightenment ideals and growing colonial independence.
  • Reasons for Revolution:
    • Geographic separation from Britain.
    • Lack of representation in the British Parliament.
    • Taxation without representation, which became increasingly unpopular.
  • Declaration of Independence (07/04/1776):
    • Declared the independence of the British colonies in America, forming the United States of America.
    • Enlightenment Influence (Jefferson): The Declaration of Independence was heavily influenced by Enlightenment thinkers, especially John Locke.
    • Examples:
      • "All men are created equal, and are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights" reflects the natural rights doctrine.
      • "Governments are instituted among men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed" embodies the social contract theory.
  • The American colonies, aided by the French, won independence from the British Empire by 1783.

The French Revolution

  • Inspired by the American Revolution, the French Revolution was driven by economic hardship and social inequality.
  • Economic Woes: France was in deep economic trouble in the 1780s due to war spending.
  • Estates General (1789):
    • King Louis XVI convened the Estates General to address the economic crisis.
    • The Estates General represented three estates: the clergy, the nobility, and the commoners.
    • The third estate, representing 98% of the population, had equal voting power to clergy and nobility (2% of population).
  • National Assembly:
    • The third estate broke away and formed the National Assembly due to unfair representation.
    • Louis XVI's threat to arrest National Assembly leaders led to the Storming of the Bastille on 07/14/1789.
    • The Bastille, a prison, symbolized the abuse and corruption of the aristocracy.
  • Declaration of the Rights of Man and Citizen:
    • Inspired by the American Declaration of Independence, this document protected basic human rights and established a limited monarchy.
    • Louis XVI resisted these changes, leading to the Reign of Terror and his eventual beheading.

Haitian Revolution

  • Occurred in the French colony of Haiti.
  • The population mainly consisted of French plantation owners and a large population of enslaved Africans.

Nationalism and Unification

  • Nationalism is a unifying force based on shared ethnic identity and language, leading to a desire for a single political unit.
  • Unification of Italy and Germany:
    • Fueled by nationalism, these unifications were not revolutions but were inspired by similar driving forces.