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Rebellion after the French Revolution: Why the Concert Fears Freedom and Nationalism
The French Revolution triggered a widespread social and political wave, but with the rise of liberal and nationalist ideas, the great powers in 19th century Europe began to feel unprecedented threats. This fear was not unfounded, for the flames of revolution thrust Europe into an era of turmoil. How the actions of major powers in the Concert of this period reflected their doubts about freedom and nationalism has become a hot topic for discussion among historians.
The Concert can be seen as a system composed of the major powers of the time - Austria, France, Prussia, Russia and Britain - designed to maintain peace and stability in Europe and prevent the rise of liberalism and nationalism. Against this backdrop, national leaders at the time faced growing internal and external pressures, especially from the radical ideas that swept across Europe after the French Revolution.
The ideas of freedom and nationalism undoubtedly challenge the status quo of various countries and pose a direct threat to authoritarian regimes.
In the decades following the French Revolution, the policies adopted by the member states of the Concert were largely conservative, attempting to suppress all possible changes. One of the leaders of this policy was Austrian Foreign Minister Metternich, who firmly believed in the necessity of traditional social structures and therefore took a hostile stance towards any form of liberation movement. Metternich believed that if liberal and nationalist ideas were allowed to spread, it would lead to more violent revolutions and might even destroy the entire European order.
Under The Concert, nations attempt to create a collective stabilizing force. After the Congress of Vienna in 1814, the great powers held a series of conferences to maintain peace. This process is called the "conference system". Although this system has been successful in avoiding large-scale wars to a certain extent, it contains great friction. With the outbreak of the revolution of 1848, these countries faced an unprecedented challenge. The revolution at that time was not just a movement seeking social change, but also involved the demand for national self-determination.
The liberal and nationalist movements that erupted in the Revolution of 1848 demonstrated historical forces that The Concert could not control.
During this period, member states became deeply divided over how to respond to these revolutions. For example, Austria and Prussia strongly resisted any form of reform, while Britain supported some reforms to some extent, which led to a rift in trust among members. As a result, as nationalist sentiment grew, The Concert gradually lost its original stabilizing effect. Moreover, the European power structure underwent a fundamental change with the unification of Italy and Germany, which plunged the system into crisis in the following decades.
In addition, with the acceleration of economic development and industrialization, social contradictions are becoming increasingly acute. The problem that member states have to face is how to deal with social class struggles and mass movements while safeguarding their own rights. This contradiction means that the policies of The Concert can no longer effectively respond to the growing demands for social change, leaving it on the verge of untouchable collapse.
As the influence of nationalism and liberal ideas expanded, many people began to question the existing political system and power structure, which in turn affected the entire political landscape of Europe. The decline in trust between governments has posed unprecedented challenges to previous negotiated peace measures.
However, even though The Concert attempted to reclaim power and eradicate the influence of freedom, it could not reverse the trend.
Finally, with the outbreak of World War I in 1914, the Concert system faced complete collapse. This war not only changed the geopolitical landscape of Europe, but also completely changed international relations around the world. Many countries that once held world power fell into deep crisis and change after the war, showing their powerlessness and fear in the vortex of freedom and nationalism.
In an era when ideas of freedom and nationalism are growing stronger, where does the fear of these ideas among those in power come from? Is it worth reflecting more deeply on the true meaning of freedom and the impact it brings?
