Module 6 Assignment

VIENNA CONFERENCE–CONSERVATISM OR LIBERALISM

NAME OF WRITERAFFILIATIONS

In the 19th century, the word conservatism meant that society and state were considered as supreme and individualism comes later. In conservatism, commitment to traditional values and ideas was held supreme while there was disagreement over change and innovation. Conservatism rejected the idea that human beings can be morally improved through any kind of political change. While on the other hand, Liberalism opposed the idea of conservatism in the form of revolutions seeking freedom in politics and economics. The idea of liberalism was to limit the government to just policy, defense and public work construction. Liberalism in the form of nationalism threatened the governments in Germany, Italy and the Austrian empire. In September 1814, the capital city of the Austrian Empire, Vienna, was the center of attention of the world, when many heads of the nations like Great Britain, Russia, and Prussia who had beaten Napoleon, headed there. Their main focus was to arrange a peace treaty after almost a decade of war. In 1815, these rulers succeeded in their mission of attaining peace. The actions by the leader of the Congress of Vienna, the Austrian Prime Minister Prince Klemens von Metternich made sure that the principle of legitimacy is to remain entitled. He made sure that all the old monarchs' returned to their thrones that were under their rule before the war.

Looking at all the events that have happened, it is safe to say that after the initial years of the congress of Vienna, the revolutions across Europe were suppressed but later on coupled with the industrialization of Europe, the liberalism prevailed mostly through Europe. Previously, governments tried to enter forces to other countries to suppress the idea of revolution and liberalism. However, new ideologies such as liberalism and nationalism, which initiated in France, had become too powerful to be confined in the boundaries of just one country. The forces first initiated revolts in the early 1820s and '30s and then till the 1950's, they were spread throughout the European continent. Among this revolution, some resulted in success while most of them failed. By the 1850s, old ideas and traditions were still present but it resented that the days of conservatism are numbered. With the emergence of the industrial revolution and an increase in the forces of the French revolution, it was impossible to return to the pre-evolutionary state of Europe. The events until the 1950s caused Belgium to split from the Netherlands, but the uprising in Poland and Italy failed to succeed. In Britain, it resulted in free trade.

Territorial arrangements at the time meant that Poland’s policies remained under the control of Russia, Prussia was also awarded some of Napoleonic Kingdom's territory. Austria was also compensated with an award of two Northern provinces. However, to oppose the danger of France, a separate kingdom of former Dutch kingdom and the Austrian Netherlands was established. However, amid this, Metternich who was a great conservatism attorney, tried hard to maintain traditions and old beliefs.

Yes, the hardline conservative stand of many leaders increased nationalism and liberalism. People believed that they were born free with no restrictions and a right to self-rule. People believe that only those can rule over them, who have been given the authority through proper legislation. The conservative mindset encourages liberalism in the sense that it is against basic human nature. Conservatism was promoted by monarchs while people demanded government through a vote which can be termed as liberalism. Secondly, in conservatism, economy is controlled by the state while people want to earn money as they wish and as much, they work to have their policies. People want free trade irrespective of any border, while hard-fought conservatives promoted nation first and the rest came later for them. These were some basic differences that resulted in common people revolt against these states.