How accurate is it to say that Mazzinian politics had a limited social and political impact up until 1857?

Question 1

Roman republic

Answer 1

Impact/success

• introduction of slum clearance, ending church control and censorship and promising a constitution was a sign of the socio-political reform that could be achieved in the absence of reactionary leaders
• provided an example to other states
• regarded as a hero on his return back to London, where he formed the society of friends of italy in 1851
• also inspired great nationalist hero Garibaldi who directed nationalism in an effective way (although not until 1860)

limitations- he had great short term impact but on a very limited geographic scale
-the republic did also fall to French troops after just a few weeks of fighting and only 3 months of its existence, more of a long term legacy impact

Question 2

Actions before 1848

Answer 2

impact/success

• he kept unity and nationalism topical despite his failures, and his young italy were very devoted to the cause
• despite his absence in Switzerland and London he was a great propagandist and spread 1000s of letters into Italy, created motto ‘though and action’
• inspired Garibaldi who had great role in future unification, met in Genoa 1831 and involved in 1849 too

failures/ limitations

• his young italy group were limited to just 50,000 people whereas groups in the largel illiterate south like the carbonari had more members
• He was involved in a number of outright failures throughout the period in which he never learnt from his mistakes; 1833 Piedmont army unity, 1834 revolt in Savoy, Bandierio Brothers 1844
• he alienated the lower classes through his intellectual ideas and middle class following, who instead got their education from the reactionary pope of whom they all followed (blatant disregard for peasants)

Question 3

Actions after 1849

Answer 3

Success- his legacy of the roman republic kept unity topical, but after 1849 he saw a distinct decline in his own direct impact, and success only came in the form of other nationalists like Garibaldi who Mazzini had founded

failures

• involved with failed revolt in Sicily 1851-52
• revolt in 1853, he was betrayed by Piedmont and Victor Emmanuel, when Cavour told Austria about the plans for an uprising; shows he was now deemed too radical even by his own country and that his radical nationalist ways had no transcended into politics
• Austrians had infiltrated into mazziniian societies and many supporters had been arrested
• failed revolts Massa 1854 and Palermo 1856
• Piscanes failed attempt in 1857 saw his commit suicide and Mazzini’s revolt was crushed by Cavour, as well as locals who were also apathetic to his nationalism

Question 4

Criteria/ judgement

Answer 4

Mazzini’s greatest direct impact came in the short lived roman republic, after that his direct impact largely declined as he was considered too radical by liberals. Prior to 1848 he was largely a direct failure and caused social disunity due to his ignorance towards the lower class, and only really managed to keep unification topical among his middle class followers