19th century is the European century. In the first half the principle of the Nation-State through the Laissez-faire (liberal) regime extends all over Europe despite the resistance of the Absolutists sovereigns reunited in the Congress of Vienna and signatories of the Holy Alliance, and Metternich policy of counterrevolutionary military intervention.
It is true that thanks to Metternich European sovereigns define a common policy to fight revolutions as the one started by Riego in Spain in 1820, that was followed by movements as the Decembrist Revolt in Russia. But the UK walks away from the Holy Alliance when the British decide to back the rebellion in Spanish America, and France with the 1830 revolution that brings the creation of the Belgian State and the crucial electoral reform of Lord Grey in 1832 that transform the nature of the English Parliamentary system.
The whole order established in the Congress of Vienna crumbles with the wave of revolutions of 1848 that brings liberal nationalism to Italy, Austria and Prussia.
The result is the creation of the Kingdom of Italy in 1861 and the German unification promoted by Bismarck, that thanks to the Prussian overwhelming victory over Napoleon III proclaim William I of Prussia as Kaiser of the Second Reich. Though the new German Empire, the North German Confederation headed by Prussia, is not a Parliamentary Regime as the Government is designated by the Kaiser and not by the Reichstag.
It will be so until the foundation of the Weimar Republic in 1919. Imperial Russia would be the last bastion of autocracy, until the 1905 Revolution, provoked by the humiliating defeat of Tsarist Russia by Imperial Japan. Russia will have a sort of Liberal regime from 1906 to 1917.
In the course of the 19th century all of European States have a constitution, a set of fundamental rights and a national narrative that consolidate the independence of every European State. The result of this rising nationalism is the amazing colonial expansion of these wealthy and powerful European Nation-States with the result of a growing tension that leads to the Armed Peace period and, finally to World War I.
The most important idea you have to retain of Teaching Guide 5 is that a Europe of powerful states leads to war. An important lesson that proud European States will not learn until the end of World War II.
INSTRUCTIONS: First read the text included in your Materials (pages 80 to 118), before proceeding to answer the Concrete Questions, the Concepts and the General Questions.
Concerning the Basic Chronology (pages 119-121) the crucial dates are the following:
1815, 1820-1823, 1830, 1832, 1848, 14 March 1861, 1862-1890 (Bismarck), 1868, 1870, 1871, 1904, 1905, 1906.
TOPIC FOR DISCUSSION IN CLASS: Are the principles of the revolutionary liberalism still valid in our Western Democracies ?
Please consider the following aspects:
1. Think that the Liberal regime establishes severe limits to the government, through the Constitution, the Declaration of Fundamental Rights and the Parliamentary regime. Think of how everyone of these limits work.
2. Look for the Concept of the “Rule of Law” (“Estado de derecho” in Spanish)
3. Do you think that the rule of law is really respected by Western governments? Provide some concrete examples.
4. Do you think that there are questions that justify governmental authoritarianism?
5. “ Please explain what Churchill meant when he said that “Democracy is the worst form of government except for all the others.”
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