The ideas of nationalism that people had at that time were although connected with liberalism, liberalism being a political philosophy emphasizing the value of individual liberty and the role of the state in protecting the rights if it’s citizens. These two theories were connected by the ideas of the people. They’re way of seeing nationalism was total devotion to the nation, but including individual liberty. They also expected the state to protect the rights of its citizens.
Nationalism however, was quite a contrast to liberalism. Being a nationalist means giving up some of your social and personal liberties and devote a lot more to your country. So how would it be possible to connect nationalism with liberalism? One creates a nationalist state that uses liberalism as a way thinking within the state and when it comes to international issues, one applies the mentality of nationalism.
Centralization was often also a result of a nationalist state. The state was controlled from one city.
Cavour’s appointment as prime minister of Piedmont in 1852 was an important stage in Italy’s progress towards becoming a unified nation. He was known as an able politician who favoured liberal causes. Evidently opposed to the revolutionary republicanism of Mazzini and his followers, he did not take the idea of national unification seriously, although he also wanted to rid Italy of the Austrians, so the nation could control itself. He envisaged a modern and extended Piedmont at the head of the drive towards independence. With these aims, he was more concentrated on the economic transformation of the state. He made trade treaties with France, Belgium, Britain and Austria, and the merchant fleet was enlarged. During the 1850’s Piedmonts foreign trade doubled in value. Cavour promoted the use of the latest techniques in farming and in the factories and introduced a railway system. By 1860 there were 800km of track in Piedmont. In addition to constructing a firm economic plan upon which to base Piedmont’s development in Italy, Cavour also made a political partnership which allowed him to remain firmly in control of the government and thus able to pursue his aims without intervention of parliamentary opposition. By bringing his own center-right party into coalition with a center-left group, enabled Cavour to resist the opposition of both the extreme clerical right and the extreme revolutionary (Mazzini).
Mazzini was probably the most dedicated Italian revolutionary of his time. His disappointment with the methods and aims of the Carbonari prompted him to develop a new approach to the problems of Italy. Mazzini spoke to all Italians, not just the educated middle-class. He believed Italians possessed within them the ability to lead their own national revival; to rise against the foreign country controlling their nation and to establish a united republican Italy. He spoke for democracy and freedom and viewed patriotism as a religion. His vision went beyond purely national boundaries to the creation of a United States of Europe, shaped by the civilizing influence of the Italian nation. His methods were simple: propaganda and insurrection. In both fields he worked tirelessly to awaken the national consciousness of the Italian people. In 1831 he founded his own association to work towards these goals, named Young Italy.
Cavours nationalism triumphed over that of Mazzini, mainly because he followed his goals straight through as he planned in the beginning. He went more for the improvement of Piedmont than that of Italy and, by improvisation, created the united Italy.
Mikhail Schemm 12L
