Cavour was not so much the architect of unification, but a politician reacting to events as they unfolded. How far do you agree with this statement? Flashcards
Cavour is often described as what?
a master of realpolitik
Cavour, rather than an architect, was what two things?
Pragmatist and Opportunist
When did Cavour make actions that suggests that he was an opportunist?
1859 and 1861
When does Cavour demonstrate a more planned approach?
1850s
To Agree with the statement, that he was a politician reaction got events as they unfolded, what needs to be discussed?
1) Plombiers
2) Villafranca
3) Garibladi’s southern expedition
4) Mazziniian uprising in the 1850s
To disagree with the statement, that he was the architect of unity, what needs to be discussed?
1) domestic political development in the 1850s
2) diplomatic development in the 1850s
3) economic development in the 1850s
When was Plombiers?
July 1858
What about plombiers demonstrates that Cavour was just an opportunist?
Cavour was keen to unify the North, but was prepared to give away Nice and Savoy to the French in order for this to happen and gain support from the French. A truly nationalist architect would be gravely concerned about the loss of nice and savoy to a foreign power
When was the treaty of villa franca?
July 1859
What was the treaty of villafranca that armistice for?
The 1859 second war of italian independence
What did the treaty of villafranca come after?
Napoleon sued for peace following combined losses from both sides of 40 000 at solferino
Who was excluded from the treaty of villafranca and the subsequent treaty of zurich?
Cavour
As he was excluded from the treaty of Villafranca, what did Cavour do?
Resign in protest
When did Cavour come back following his resignation over the treaty of villafranca?
21st January 1960
Why was Cavour using the opportunism of the treaty of Villafranca to enact self-determination?
Because he knew that he would gain support from the British for doing it
When Cavour was using the National Society to annex the central duchies following the Treaty of Villafranca, what could it be said that he was borrowing?
Borrowing the Mazziniian language of popular change to support his own ends, rather than using it for a set of goals or principles
Cavour understood that the National Society votes int he central duchies could be fixed in what way?
Corruption, intimidation and bullying
Cavour’s understanding that the National Society votes in the central duchies could be fixed by corruption, intimidation and bullying suggests what?
that he was not trying to pursue a goal of a democratically unified state, but simply trying to serve the most efficient was of governing and appealing to foreign powers such as Britain under Earl Russel and Lord Palmerston.
What could be said was Cavour’s primary motivation for the National Society’s votes?
To gain favour with the British
When Garibaldi set off from Genoa in May 1860, what did Cavour not envisage?
That a unified Italy would include the South
What does Denis Mac Smith argue about Cavour’s relationship with Garibaldi?
Cavour was not wedded to unity at all and was simply concerned about Mazzinians gaining government in Sicily
Who was the first agent that Cavour sent to Sicily and when was he expelled?
LaFarina 7th July 1860
Who was the second agent that Cavour sent to Sicily?
Depretis
Who was the admiral that Cavour got to try to organise a pro-Piedmontese insurrection in Naples?
Persano
What did Depretis fail to do?
To stop Garibaldi crossing the straights of Messina
Whilst simultaneously using admiral Persano to organise a pro-Piedmontese insurrection in Naples, what did Cavour also try to do?
Organise an alliance with the Bourbon monarchs
After Cavour realised that he was not able to stop Garibaldi, what opportunist move did he do, despite his instincts?
invade the Papal states
Why did Cavour react to invade the papal states?
To prevent a war with France and to reduce the rising power of Garibaldi
Where did Garibaldi meet VEII?
Teano
When was Teano?
October 26th 1860
What is perhaps the greatest example of opportunism?
Cavour never wanted the South, but come the Teano meeting was very happy to accept it to curb Garibaldi’s power and strengthen his own
When did Cavour warn Austria of a Mazziniian uprising in Milan, Lombardy?
February 1853
What did Cavour do to gain favour with Austria that suggests that he had no visions of unity in the early 1950s?
Warn them of a Mazziniian uprising in Milan, Lombardy in February 1853
When and where did Mazzini try to revolt that meant that Cavour was furious, suppressing Mazzini’s followers and his press?
Genoa 1857
Why did Cavour suppress Mazzini in 1857 for domestic reasons?
Reacting to events to strengthen his and VEII’s position as the leaders of Piedmont.
Why did Cavour suppress Mazzini in 1857 for diplomatic reasons?
The French hated the radical Mazziniism, so this was not a calculated plan by Cavour to achieve his goals as much as an attempt to keep French investment
What did Cavour do in 1855?
Appoint himself to the three main positions of PM, Chancellor and Foreign minster
Cavour’s political manoeuvring in 1855 suggests what?
that he had some formulated plan and agenda, at least within Piedmont. This was not an event he was reacting to as much as a formulated plan to modernise Piedmont
When did Cavour reform the finance department?
1852
When did Cavour reform the foreign office?
1853
Who did Cavour use to reform the army?
Minister for War LaMamora
What did LaMamora remove from the army?
The conservative elements that were hostile to Cavour
Despite what did Cavour always get his way?
Despite widespread opposition from the right and the king, Cavour’s temporary resignation and a constitutional crisis, Cavour got his way.
Cavour was not manoeuvring to keep the Piedmontese state afloat, but to ensure it was afloat in a way which was becoming to his goals. What demonstrates this?
He ended the Connubio, sacked Rattazzi to keep the right stable but also found technicalities to reduce a right wing majority in Parliament.
How many troops to the Crimean war?
15 000
When did Piedmont get involved in the Crimean War?
1855
What did the Crimean war mark?
A watershed in Austrian power
Why can Cavour’s involvement in the Crimean war be seen to be calculated architectness?
Because he knew that it would gain Italy favour with the French and British and put the case of unity on the international agenda
Which 3 countries did Cavour orchestrate free trade deals with?
Britain, France and Belgium
How could Plombiers be interpreted as in support of Cavour the architect?
secret and planned meeting between Cavour and Napoleon III to allow Piedmont to gain control of the North of Italy through war with Austria. This was completely planned, with an obligation that Piedmont needed to raise 100 000 troops to France’s 200 000.
What direct link between Turin and Paris was arranged by Cavour to make investment easier?
Phone line
Trade increased by how much in the 1850s?
300%
From when was the Cavour canal built?
1857
How many silk workers and how many cotton workers during the 1950s?
60 000 sik workers and 114 00 cotton workers
Who funded much of the milan, turin, genoa train line?
Rothschild
What two bankers financed the Mount Cenis Tunnel
Rothschild and LaFiette
When did building start on the Mount Cenis Tunnel?
1857
The Piedmontese railway system was increased to how far during the 1850s?
819km
When was the line that linked Milan, Turin, Genoa and the French Border?
1854
What was Piedmont’s deficit in 1861 and what happened to it?
Piedmont had a 2 450 million lire deficit in 1861 which doubled when Piedmont took on the debts of smaller states.
What is the relationship between Cavour’s reaction to Garibaldi’s expedition and his wider stance?
The reaction of Cavour to Garibaldi’s expedition epitomises his attitude to unification, it was acceptable as long as it did not erode his own power or the primacy of the Piedmontese State.
Finish the sentence: anything that Cavour did have vision for was of a strong…
Piedmont rather than a united Italy
Finish the sentence: between 1859-61…
Cavour relied extremely on opportunism for his method of governance.
