Through a focus on any two countries, explain how nation developed over the nineteenth century
Answers
Answer:
Italy and Germany are two important European countries that developed a lot over the nineteenth century. Both these countries were previously ruled by several princely states and thus these lands were divided into many smaller independent segments, till the middle of 19th century.During the nineteenth century, nationalism emerged as a force which brought about sweeping changes in the political and mental world of Europe. The end result of these changes was the emergence of the nation-state in place of the multi-national dynastic empires of Europe.
(i) A large number of political associations whose members were middle class professionals, businessmen and prosperous artisans as members were formed in Germany.
(ii) Before beginning of modern age some serious economic problems came up in Germany. Hunger, hardship and popular revolt emerged in Germany. Germany was divided in several states due to autocractic rule, people were suffering in Germany. There were conservative forces like that of Junkers (big landlords) who did not want to accept the concept of nation-state.
(iii) Romantic imagination and national feelings also became a major factor for formation of nation-state. Johann Gottfried Herder of Germany popularised the true spirit of nation through folk songs, folk poetry and folk dances.
(iv)Otto von Bismarck had architected the process of unification with the help of the Prussian army and bureaucracy. In Germany three wars against Austria, Denmark and France were fought over seven years.
Development of nation state in Italy:
(i)Like Germany, Italy too had along history of political fragmentation. Italians were scattered over several dynastic states as well as the multi-national Habsburg Empire.
(ii) Italy was divided into several states. These were being ruled by dynasties like Habsburg, Pope and Bourbon dynasty. Only Sardinia-Piedmont was ruled by an Italian princely house.
(iii) Caricature of Garibaldi of Italy helped a lot in stimulating nationalistic feeling among masses.
(iv) Cavour established a tactful diplomatic alliance with France and won two Sicilies.
Answer:
The development of the German and Italian nation-states in the nineteenth century.
Political fragmentation: Till the middle of the nineteenth century, the present-day nations of Germany and Italy were fragmented into separate regions and kingdoms ruled by different princely houses.
Revolutionary uprisings: Nineteenth-century Europe was characterised by both popular uprisings of the masses and revolutions led by the educated, liberal middle classes. The middle classes belonging to the different German regions came together to form an all-German National Assembly in 1848. However, on facing opposition from the aristocracy and military, and on losing its mass support base, it was forced to disband. From then on Prussia took on the leadership of the movement for national unification.
In the Italian region, during the 1830s, revolutionaries like Giuseppe Mazzini sought to establish the unitary Italian Republic. However, the revolutionary uprisings of 1831 and 1848 failed to unite Italy.
Unification with the help of the army: After the failure of the revolutions, the process of German and Italian unification was continued by the aristocracy and the army. Germany was united by the Prussian chief minister Otto von Bismarck with the help of the Prussian army and bureaucracy. The German Empire was proclaimed in 1871.
The Italian state of Sardinia-Piedmont played a role similar to that played by Prussia. Count Camillo de Cavour (the Chief Minister) led the movement to unite the separate states of nineteenth-century Italy with the help of the army and an alliance with France. The regions annexed by Giuseppe Garibaldi and his Red Shirts joined with the northern regions to form a united Italy. The Italian nation was proclaimed in 1861 and Victor Emmanuel II was proclaimed king of united Italy. The papal states joined in 1870.