Another 19th century idea was radicalism, which was pretty much the same ideology, with only slight differences: radicals supported republican form of power rather than constitutional monarchy, they wanted common right to vote, they were saying less about freedom of an individual, more about social justice.
At the beginning of the revolutions 1848, the ideology was extremely important. All social classes were in misery, because the outcome of economic changes. Everybody, from peasants to bourgeoisie, believed that liberal reforms will bring changes for better. Without the ideology, the hope for a different life, the revolutions would have been a complete failure, if they had actually ever occurred.
In January 1848 there were riots against Ferdinand Bourbon in Sicily, in February – in France, where there were an anti-monarch opposition since 1830 (which consisted of republicans, liberals, radicals, etc.). The opposition started to organise banquets, one of which, on the 22 of February, was banned. In spite of this, a crowd still gathered in the planned venue. Manifestation lasted till the next day until the government sent the military troops. This let to building barricades, and three-day street fighting, but soldiers were reluctant to open fire. Ludvic Philip had to abdicate, and the II Republic of France was established. It was the signal for the intensification of political campaigns of the opposition, the government confirmed the freedom of press and gatherings and announced () elections. The political, ideological revolution took place almost without resistance, there was a change of system. As far as the social revolution was concerned, people were promised help towards employment, health and food. Unfortunately, it was soon to turn out that the winners of the revolution are also divided.
When the information of the outburst of the revolution came to Austrian Empire, manifestations, organised mainly by students, began. On the 13th of March there were street-fights in Vienna. Matternich, who was highly influential in Hapsburg Monarchy, fled in fear of riots. Here, the censorship was abolished, a constitution announced, and Hungary was allowed to establish its own government with Layos Batthyan as a leader.
The revolutionary movement spread throughout German countries. The mechanism was everywhere very similar – riots in bigger cities and monarchs’ concessions, which consisted of announcing freedom of press, appointing liberals to government, constitution and gathering of parliament.
The second part of the revolutions 1848, in which ideology was becoming less and less important, began as the aim of it was partly achived. In most revolutionary countries the constitution was promised, the structure of power and system was on the right way to change. One could say that the revolution was 100% successful. However, change from absolute to constitutional monarchy did not mean that the overall quality of life would improve. So when people did nit get what they expected (especially peasants and artisans), they started to care only about their own interests, forgetting about their primary, noble goal.
A great example of it is when the enterprises of the II Republic of France required money, and peasants did not want to pay taxes. Louis Blanc announced nationalization of banks and tax progression, which feared the bourgeoisie. Liberals and radicals decided to organize a demonstration against the Assembly, which led to prohibition of organising gatherings and establishing new clubs. The leaders of the demonstration were also arrested. The decision concerning the national workshops was much more difficult, but as it was no solution to the unemployment, the Assembly decided to close it. As a result, there was an insurrection in Paris (the famous June Days). there were a lot of killed and arrested – the social revolution not only failed, but also led to restriction of benefits of the political revolution.
In November the constitution was passed. It ensured a common right to vote, social protection, work protection, but it did not guarantee the right to work. It was to ensure a a efficient, strong power, and prevent from dictatorship, but unfortunately the rules of the constitution were contrary.
I the Hapsburg Monarchy, Ferdinand I announced a constitution (April 1848). It come from above, so it was nor passed by representatives of the citizens, which meant that monarch was still the source of power – not the nation. That is why, a revolt in Vienna in May 1848 took place and the emperor had to announce election to the government. At the end of it, it was decided to abolish feudalism, and from now on, peasants were not interested in revolutionary movements any more.
Things became more complicated as well in other parts of Austrian Empire. There was a meeting in Prague, on which representatives of Poland, Ukraine, Czech and Croatia. On the convention, all the conflicts between particular countries were revealed.
In the meantime, the conflicts between Magyars and the other nations of Hapsburg Monarchy became more severe. In September, Josip Jelacic (leader of Croatia), secretly supported by Hapsburgs, attacked Hungarian government. The Monarch cancelled all the concessions towards Hungary. This decision caused in October 1848 new riots in Vienna. The emperor left the capital again, power in the city was overtaken by revolutionists and the terror began, a lot of revolutionary leaders were sentenced to death. Peasants and Slovak nation did not take any notice of it. In December, Ferdinand I abdicated, and his nephew took power over.
In the third part of the revolutions, With the beginning of 1849, the springtime of peoples was dying down, the ideology was forgotten. Although there were more democrats in the governments, the laws that were established had nothing to do with liberalism. The people, tired with all the bloody riots and fights, did not have any energy to rebel against the situation in the post-revolutionary countries.
The head of the II Republic was Ludwig Napoleon. He gained influence, by manoeuvring between particular parties, indicating that he was representing everybody’s interest without agency of a political party. The Assembly enacted new laws, which declined the political democracy. They also increased the influence of church on scholarship, banned strikes and restricted freedom of press. Some tried to organise demonstrations against it but there was no revolutionary energy in Paris. Because Ludwig’s term was going to an end, he decided to carry out a coup d’etat .
In Francis Joseph’s country the ‘old’ order was restored in most of the territories. From the first months, there were fights in Hungary, which become a republic (Layos Kossuth became the president) and was the only country that fought with absolutism. Unfortunately they were made to capitulate, German language was to be spoken on their territory and Kossuth managed to flee - The Hapsburg Empire functioned as a centralised absolute monarchy.
The German countries also failed in the revolutions of 1848 and their ideolody did not survive either. Although they managed to pass the constitution – it was for the future united Germany, so there were laws and rights, but there was no country. The Frankfurt parliament did not have the future.
To sum up, I cannot agree that the ideology of revolutions 1848 played a relatively small role. ‘Lamartine describes it as “the product of a moral idea, of a reason, logic and society”’1. At first people were fighting for the ideology, for the liberalism. The idea of equality was strong enough to lead to a revolution on a European scale. What is even more important, they almost achieved their aim. As far as I know, the springtime of peoples was to fail, because too many classes were involved. It is almost impossible to create such a system that would satisfy everybody. However there is an ideology that can unite nations to uprise, which undoubtedly happened in 1848.
It is true that in the second and third part of revolutions, the ideology did not play as important role as in the first one, but one has to agree that, although indirectly, it still influenced the events that occurred in that period: a large amount of people were still fighting for liberal monarchy, some cared only about their own interests, which is partly a cause of the failure of 1848. therefore the the significant importance anr role of the ideology should not be declined.
Furthermore, the events of Springtime of Peoples 1848 left also something else than only abbolision of feudalism, right to vote in France and constitution in several countries. The revolutions were reminding of heroes, legends, in peoples minds remained the pictures of barricades and fleeing monarchs, and, most importantly, the possibility to choose their representatives. ‘Odilon Barrot, under the July Monarchy, one of the leaders of the Dynastic Oppositions, writes: “Never have nobler passions moved the civilised world, never has a more universal impulse of souls and hearts pervaded Europe from end to end”’2
1,2 Sir Lewis Namier – 1848: The revolution of the intellectuals
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