However Austria’s strength can be questioned as representing the weakness of the revolutions themselves, as well as the weaknesses of the original rulers overthrown, rather than Austria’s strength. In Naples, Piedmont and Modena, the overthrown monarchs looked to Austria for aid when they are revolted against and the papal government in the Papal States put up a weak defensive and little resistance to the small number of liberal middle-class rebels of 1831, re-enforcing the weakness of the papal government. As well as this, the revolutionaries often had little time to firmly establish a strong government and organise before Austria attacked, making the defeats quick and “easy” such as in the central duchies. So despite Austria’s strength not being a major cause for the revolutionaries’ failures, other factors such as lack of unity, lack of popular support and lack of external, outside support added together to result in the failings of the revolutions.
Lack of unity amongst revolutionary groups in different states as well as local areas was a much more significant reason for failure on the 1820-37 revolutions. This issue of an un-unified front was a problem within revolutionary secret societies which weakened the revolutions. The aims for the secret societies and liberals in each state differed slightly, ultimately decreasing the chances of overcoming the stronger forces acting against them such as the Austrian army. In Naples, the middle-class revolutionists hoped for the return of a constitution similar to that of Spain’s 1812 constitution, guaranteeing political liberties. Whilst Neapolitans wanted a constitution, Sicily peasants wanted independence from Naples. This contrasting motive of revolutionaries led to the revolutionaries working against one another. The new constitution in Naples refused to help the anti-Neapolitan peasant revolts in setting up a constitution in Sicily, weakening both chances of a stronger revolt due to a smaller support network. Similarly, lack of unity between revolutionists is evident by the way the revolutionary government in Bologna refused to send help to Modena’s unorganised riot before Duke Francis returned with the Austrian army. This lack of unity in aims, communication and co-operation of the revolutionary localised and separate groups made the revolutions much easier to crush. The separation and secrecy of the secret societies which made up the revolution groups were unorganised and scattered in localised aims. This is evident from the easily overthrown revolt in Modena, due to lack of organisation in a short space of time.
Lack of popular support was another important factor in determining the inevitable failure of the revolutions. Most revolutionaries in the mid-19th century were the minority middle-class such as lawyers, professionals and bankers. They did not want peasants involved in politics due to their low literacy rates and lack of political knowledge which would degrade the motive of the revolution. On top of this, they were afraid of the formation of a chaotic mob. This abandoning of the large majority limited the number and strength of the revolutions. In Naples, 1920, only 30 carbonari members and 100 officers took over the town, which was quickly suppressed by Austrian troops, This worked against the revolts as the number of men revolting alongside the quantity and quality of weapons and defences was so minor in comparison to the Austrian army. For peasants, life under the monarchies was better than the aristocratic-favouring-motives that the middle-class was fighting for. Peasants were also more focused on earning enough money to provide for their families. If Italy were to be strong enough to overcome Austrian forces, a bigger majority of the population would need to share a common consensus, but the largest part of the population, being bitter towards the revolutions meant that lack of popular support made failures more inevitable. Without the peasants, the revolts would not be strong enough to be maintained after temporary success. On the other hand, despite involvement from the peasants in the 1820 revolution in Sicily, lack of support from other revolutionary groups led to the easy suppression from Austria, when they gained Ferdinand’s repressive control in Naples again. So lack of support alone was not a strong factor but along with lack of unity, made failure more inevitable.
The final factor which was a minor but slightly significant reason for the failure of the 1820-1 and 31-2 revolutions was lack of external, outside support. Revolutions lacked resources, money and military. The lack of external support prevented the maintenance of overthrown land and newly created constitutions as there was not enough support in general already. The revolutions of 1831 in Modena expected support from Louis Philippe’s newly gained constitutional monarchy through a similar revolution to that of the states in Italy; however their policy of ‘non-intervention’ in foreign revolutions left no hope of external aid for the revolutionaries. This added to the ease of suppressing revolutions from Austria’s violent, numerous and well-equipped army who had the support of Russia and Prussia, two powerful influences, due to the 1821 Troppau Doctrine.
In conclusion, Austria’s role in the failure of revolutions is the most obvious one due continual suppression of the revolutions affecting Italy’s states within the mid-19th century. However to say it is the most important factor in causing the failure of these revolutions would disregard the weaknesses of the revolutions themselves. If these had been stronger and united, in ideals and area, creating a united-front, the scattered and small uprisings may not have been so easy to contain. Alongside this, the revolutions were mostly limited to middle-class men. If the ideals and motives had been more open to the majority of the population, rather than being so secretive and limited to the select few intellectuals, then more people would be fighting for the same cause, creating a larger revolution. This in itself would have been a barrier for Austria’s strength. Finally, if there was more support from other nations for the revolutions in Italy, then Austria may have not been able to physically stop the revolutions so easily, due to number and military resources. So although Austria was strong and continually repressed revolutions one after the other with support from Russia and Prussia, without these other factors they would not have been able to prevent revolution in Italy so easily. These combined factors; lack of unity, popular support and external support, were together, a way of weakening the revolutions and enabling Austria to easily sustain them. Alone, they would all be less significant than the combination of all three against Austria. The reality of Austria’s strength is undermined by these factors as they disable the historian from being able to fairly asses the strength of Austria.
by
Hannah
