The Call for Italian Unity

Thesis: The Young Italy Brotherhood believed that they were given a mission by God to create a Republic state in order to make the state of Italy unified and more like the God-intended states of equality.

x- Young Italy brotherhood- composed of men believing Italy should be one whole nation

x- Young Italy is Republican, believes every nation is destined to form an equal society

x- Must combine education and insurrection to be effective- insurrection meaning the use of guerrilla warfare

x-Every Italian is ordained by God to fulfill this mission

x- Swears to assist to aid Young Italy movement in action and consul

Carl Schurz, Revolution Spreads to the German States

MHEAP-Andrew Fortugno

Carl Schurz, Revolution Spreads to the German States

Thesis: After the February Revolution in Paris the German National movement seemed to take action, the people became excited and started to demand their rights and take them by force until even Metternich had his downfall.

· Carl Schurz (1829-1906)

o Student at University of Bonn

o After revolution failed he fled to Switzerland and eventually went to the United States, where he had a distinguished career as a senator, cabinet member, and journalist.

· Agitation from the February Revolution brings students to want change in Germany

· Unable to study and focus the students look for German national unity

· Schurz expresses the want of “ Constitutional form of government on a broad democratic basis.”

· People sang the “Marseillaise” as a “hymn of liberty”

· Revolutionary spirit spread all over Germany

· Students in Vienna where the first to assail to the Emperor of Austria with cry of liberty and citizens rights.

· Downfall of Prince Metternich

· Masses surged the Streets in Prussia and everyone looked for events of great importance

· Black, Red, and Gold Flag

von Gagern: Call for German Unity

Heinrich von Gagern outlines the nationalist sentiment that motivated student activists in the German states

"Love of the Fatherland" is the primary motivator

Political unity necessary for cultural unity: "one land...one people"

An interest in "the spirit of the times" (i.e. Zeitgeist of Enlightened Europe), in a nation that was not directly involved in the first "wave" of Enlightened philosophy

Constitution as a means to this end of liberal reform

Interest in the social services that a state might provide, such as education

Desire for a balanced government, with a national assembly that can overrule the princes

An air of "German exceptionalism" : the "freest possible" constitution must be adopted

Alexis de Tocqueville, "The June Days"

Rob Edwards

Alexis de Tocqueville, “The June Days”

• To the workers, the June 1948 revolt was one against poverty and for a fairer distribution of property

• The rest of france rallies against the workers in hope of preventing this radicalism

• Alexis de Tocqueville (1805-1859) makes a speech on January 29, 1848, in front of the French chamber of deputies where he warns the French officials about the mood of the laboring poor

• Speech says that although there isn't yet any actual physical disorder, these revolutionary ideals are firmly engrained into the minds of the workers

• They are concerned with social passions instead of political ones, and it is a very dangerous and powerful threat to french society itself

• A most formidable revolution is right around the corner

• speaks about the june days, where in the span of 4 days almost 100,000 men participated in a revolution

• He says that the military capacity demonstrated by the lower class during those 4 days shocked even France's most officers, and that the upper classes should be afraid that the same thing will happen again, but possibly on an even bigger scale

• It is different from the other revolutions in that it wasn't trying to change the form of government, but rather it tried to alter the entire form of society

• It also wasn't just led by a few powerful people, it was an entire insurrection by one class against another

• The upper class barely escaped this last revolt, and must be on their guard this time lest they be destroyed

"The Odious Ideas of the Philosophes" by Klemens von Metternich

Metternich's beliefs regarding the philosophes and the French Revolution:

• the progress of the human mind has grown more rapidly than wisdom which has created a revolution created by false systems
• The philosophes, who abandoned the moral laws of God, created odious ideas which they placed into the minds of other men
• France was unfortunate to have the most philosophes. In France, religion, morality, and authority were all attacked most fervently by the philosophes
• The revolution was created by downgrading the name of God and his divine powers. The social contract also contributed to the Revolution.
• The French Revolution created chaos with many victims
• With the French Revolution, its seeds spread all over the continent of Europe. These revolutionary sees were further developed by the despotic reign of Napoleon.

Karlsbad Decrees

In 1819, Metternich and other representatives from German states met in Karlsbad to stifle liberalism and nationalism through several decrees. These Karslbad decrees dissolved Burschenschaften, and censored books, newspapers and professors who spread liberal doctrines. Here are the stipulations to the decrees:

· Sect. 1 – The sovereign shall make choice for each university of an extraordinary commissioner, who will observe carefully the spirit with which professors guide their lectures

· Sect. 2 – The governments of the states can remove professors whom they believe to spread propaganda, and any professor released from their original institution cannot be admitted to any other public institution.

· Sect. 3 – Any secret of unauthorized associations at universities are still not permitted. The government shall mutually engage to not hire any person belonging to such an association.

· Sect. 1 of Press Rules – No writing appearing in the form of a daily paper shall be issued without consent of public authority

· Art. 1 – In fifteen days from this decree, an extraordinary commission of inquiry, appointed by the Diet, shall assemble in the city of Mentz

o The object of this commission is to make careful and detailed inquiries respecting secret revolutionary and demagogic associations, and the members thereof.

The Call for German Unity

Thesis: In Heinrich von Gagern’s Call for German Unity, Gagern emphasized the key points of the student movement which were a love for Germany, greater sense of community and a more powerful and just constitution for all Germany.

I. Characteristics of the student movement

a. Love of the fatherland – guiding principle

i. Make a better future for the fatherland

ii. Spread national consciousness

iii. Work for better constitutions

b. Desire more sense of community among states of germany

i. Unity in policies and principles of government

ii. Want Germany to be considered one land and one people

c. Constitution fo rhte people that fits in with the spirit of the times and with people’s own enlightenment

d. Want princes to serve the country and not vice versa

e. Constitution should deal with both necessity and extend its efforts to education

Karlsbad Decrees

The Karlsbad Decrees were a reactionary policy proposed by leaders of the German States to stifle liberalism and nationalism.

• Each university shall have a commissioner who will monitor the teaching of professors and the activity of the students for any liberalism
• The government must remove all professors who teach or support liberal or nationalist doctrines
• Secret or unauthorized associations at universities are made illegal
• All publications must first be approved by the government, and limitations are placed on journalism
• A commission of inquiry is established to hunt down all liberal and nationalist activity

Joseph de Maistre: Essay on the Generative Principle of Political Constitutions

De Maistre critiques the philosophes, the French Revolution, and manufactured constitutions in his Essay on the Generative Principle of Political Constitutions.

The greatest error of the century is to believe that a theoretical political constitution could be written and prove effective.

De Maistre believed that a political constitution written a priori would never last. He believed that the fundemental principles of political constitutions exist prior to all written law. He thought that the man who believed himself to be able to write a clear and lasting doctrine alone was a GREAT FOOL even if that doctrine was approved by the whole body of common people. He thought this because imperceptible growth is the true promise of durability of all things.

Note: de Maistre believed man cannot write a constitution and no legitimate constitution can be written.

De Maistre assailes the philosophes for attacking religion.

Religion alone civilizes nations. If religion was removed from education, education would poison the country rather than advance it. De Maistre believed that science should be relegated to a position of importance below religion.