Two revolutionaries challenged the power of those in power and worried the conservatives. The liberal middle class demanded greater political rights. They wanted constitutional rule, an end to censorship, and an end to the political domination of the wealthy. This revolutionary activity was connected to the nationalists who wanted states based on nations of people rather than the monarchs that control a particular area.
The first was the Revolution of 1830 in France. Under the reactionary rule of Louis XVIII and then his brother, Charles XI, the moderate government was overshadowed by the power of the king, censorship increased, people were disenfranchised, and the influence of the middle-class decreased. In response, the rising middle class with liberal views wanted a more efficient government, constitutional checks on the power of the government, and a recognition of individual rights. They succeeded in kicking out the monarch put in place by the Congress of Vienna and successfully demanded that Louis Philippe, who ruled from 1830-1848, take the throne. Louis Philippe was considered a moderate and enjoyed support of the middle class.
Figure 4: Louis Phillipe of France
The second wave occurred during the larger Revolution of 1848 that took place throughout Western and Central Europe. The increasing poverty of the working class, lower middle class, and peasants along with food shortages, unemployment, and economic chaos led to the desire for change. Still, most governments refused to cede to the pressure for reforms. The revolution was effective initially because the middle class and working classes were united in their demands for change-such as a representative assembly and greater support for the poor.
Figure 5: The Revolution of 1848 in Prague
In Paris, the revolution grew in scope. The provisional city government established national workshops to employee members of the working class, who quickly grew from 6,000 to 90,000.The government involved workers in menial tasks,such as draining swamplands, that were not in competition to actual private businesses. To pay for these workers, the government authorized higher level of taxation that fell upon the backs of the rural workers; thus it lost their support. The government was forced to cut the work schemes; however, they continued to function in some areas,especially by making barricades during the revolution.
In the Austro-Hungarian Empire, the Revolution of 1848 threatened to tear apart the empire . The multitude of nationalities that existed here-the Germans, Hungarians, Slovenes, Poles, Czechs, Croats, Slovaks, Ukrainians, Romanians, Serbs and Italians- demanded greater autonomy or even independence. The emperor and the court fled as the radicals took control of Vienna. Troops fired at the crowds while the emperor appointed the able Prince Felix zu Schwazenberg to head up the government before giving power to his nephew, Franz Joseph. In Germany, young radicals also demanded change. In most of these states, reformers came to power. Even the king of Prussia allowed for some reform but then called in the army to put down the protests. The Frankfurt Parliament, representing the people, tried to create a united Germany but Frederick William rejected this attempt. He refused to accept the “crown from the gutter” and enacted more conservative measures, such as limiting voting to the rich.
Overall, the result of the Revolutions of 1848 was the continued domination of conservative rule. In France this included the rise of Charles Louis, Napoleon Bonaparte, and the exile of the formerly popular Louis Phillipe. Many of the middle class throughout the continent increasingly sided with the conservative/elite faction against the working class.This resulted in an alienation that made it possible for the revolutionaries to be defeated. Many liberals throughout Europe were forced into exile as states wanted to prevent the revolutions for reoccurring. Still, liberal principles and a fear of another rebellion worked to improve the lives of peasants throughout Europe by finally eliminating any sense of feudal servitude and obligatory labor. Many revolutionaries and those in the elite class continued to expect another revolution at any moment.
