German Unification: What were the consequences of the 1848–49 Revolutions? Flashcards
Metternich’s fall: Impact
-Austrian Rule under atack in Italy Hngary and Germany
-peasants attacked landlords, stormed castles and destroyed feudal records
-artisans destroyed machines that were considered a threat to their livelihood
Revolution Event Summary
-south was the first affected
-peasants attacked owner and tax officials
-Prussia - Mrach days -> Kinf Frede William IV acepted many demands : NEW CONSTITUTION, ACCEPTANCE OF NATIONALISM , NEW CONSTITUENT ASSEMBLY WITH DELEGATES FROM EACH STATE
Frankfurt parliament
hoped to agree on series of basic rights and demands:
-freedom of press
-fair taxation
-equal political rights for al citizens without regard for religion
-German Citizenship for all
->Karl Brown intorduced abolition of censorship, reform of judiciary, army having to swear oath to constiution
Frankfurt Parliament: Unrepresentative Body
-mainly educated middle class
-while 70% of population lower class -> manufacturing, traders and peasants unrepresented
IMPACT - people’s interests not met -> lost interest and support in parliament -> higher chances of monarchy returning
-because educated -> wasted time on debating legalistic terms rather than making chances - lost impetus
Frankfurt Parliament: Divisions
-Klein vs Gross Deutschland
-Catholic South vs Protestant North
-Prussia or Austria dominance
IMPACT - uncertainty and division -> no plan-> ineffective
Frankfurt Parliament: Limited Appeal
-offered little to masses
eg : for peasants: even abolition of feudal dues came with compenation to owners
-little acceptance for protection of workers
-did not want protectionst measures - > peasants could not keep up with import prices
Frankfurt Parliament: overreliance on Prussian Army
-Danish King wanted to annex Schleswig and Holstein
-> Germany opposed this -> needed Prussian Army to solve the issue - powerless
Fall of the Frankfurt Parliament
FP voted to elect Frederick WIlliam as Emperor
He refused - crown from the gutter
believed hecould only be appointed by princes
-did not want to be emperor if it meant he had to put prussia under FP control
-saw it as ‘a dog collar with which they want to chain me to the revolution of 1848’
-he was a king by the grace of god not the people
-aware if he accept the crown - might have war with Austria and Prusssia
Situation in Prussia after Frankfurt Parliament - Frederick William
King apppointed liveral ministry and agreed to election of assembly to draw up new constitution
The Prussian Constitution
-freedom of religion, assembly and association
-two house representative assemly - lower house elected by male suffrage and upper by land owners
-king retained control over army
-king could alter constituion at any time
-ministers appointed and dismisse by the king , responsible only to him
Prussian Union Plan - Erfurt Union
King wante to be King of united germany appointed by princes ->Erfurt Union - > proposal of Klein deutschland with hip at its head to othe states
-A german empire excluding austria -> not member but special relation
-Erfurt union - 28 states agreed to join, but some influential ones declined fearful of Austrian reactin and of Prussian ambitions
Prussian Union Plan: Austrian opposition
-Scharzenberg summoned Bundesrat
-Put forward Gross deutschland scheme which attracted states as it gave them more political influence ->states desrted erfurt
Why did the Erfurt Union fail?
-Fear of Austrian Reaction
-Summoning of Bundesrat
-Punctation of Olmutz
-States did not like prussian ambitions compared to austrias ambitiond
Punctation/ Capitulation/ Humiliation of Olmutz
Hesse Cassel revolution (member of erfurt union)
requested elp fro, Frankfurt Bundesrat
Prussia also mobilised btu confederation gave ultimatum stating only they could intervene -asserted dominance
Austrian Problems - Political Economic Social
-isolated by Prussian dominaqted zollverein
-high taxes and low government expenditure -> inflation
-deficit left from Metternivh
-crimean war - high costs of mobilisation and ready for action
Prussian Economic Success
-good education system -metternich
-plenty supply of coal iron and chemials
-good system of communicaions - railway development growth through the years - > encouraged coal iron and steel indurties
Prussian Politics: Growth of Liberalism and Conservative Reform
increase in liberal strength
CONSERVATIVE REFORM:
peasants freed from feudal obligations
low interest loans to allow peasants to buy land
financial help to move to less populated aareas
encouraged payment of minimum wages
Children uder 12 forbidded to work in factories
Reform of the Army
-William and Von roon’s main concern because army had not been increased since 1815
REFORM WANTED:
-double the size of army
-increase military service from 2-3 years
-re-equip the troops
-reduce strength of Landwehr
LIBERALS DISAGREE : liked Landwehr (guarantor of liberaly freedoms against reactionary forces)
-did not want higher taxes
Constitutional crisis and solution
-By 1860 - only agreed to increase military budhet but not to ectended military serviece
-liberals formed Progressive Party -gained majority after election
-September 1863, STILL DID NOT PASS THE Bill - appointed Bismarck as Minister President 1862
