Question

Explain what is meant by the 1848 revolution of the liberals. What were the political, social and economic ideas supported by the liberals?​

Answer 1

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• In the year 1948, parallel to the revolts of the poor, another revolution was happening underway. Led by the educated middle classes, the unemployed, the starving peasants and workers in many European countries experienced this revolution of the liberals. Events of February 1848 in France had brought about the abdication of the monarch and a republic based on universal male suffrage had been proclaimed.
• In other parts of Europe where independent nation-states did not yet exist – such as Germany, Italy, Poland, the Austro-Hungarian Empire – men and women of the liberal middle classes combined their demands for constitutionalism with national unification.
• They took advantage of the growing popular unrest to push their demands for the creation of a nation-state on parliamentary principles – a constitution, freedom of the press and freedom of association.
• The issue of extending political rights to women was a controversial one within the liberal movement, in which large numbers of women had participated actively over the years. Women had formed their own political associations, founded newspapers and had taken part in political meetings and demonstrations.

Answer 2

ANSWER

The 1848 revolution of the liberals refers to the various national movements pioneered by educated middle classes alongside the revolts of the poor, unemployed and starving peasants and workers in Europe. While in countries like France, food shortages and widespread unemployment during 1848 led to popular uprisings, in other parts of Europe (such as Germany, Italy, Poland, and the Austro-Hungarian Empire), men and women of the liberal middle classes came together to voice their demands for the creation of nation-states based on parliamentary principles. The political, social and economic ideas supported by the liberals were:

Politically, they demanded constitutionalism with national unification, nation-state with a written constitution and parliamentary administration.

Socially, they wanted to rid society of its class-based partialities and birthrights. Serfdom and bonded labor had to be abolished.

Economically they demanded freedom of markets and right to property. The abolition of state-imposed restrictions on the movements of goods and capital.