Metternich and Castlereagh

The statesmen at the Congress of Vienna were faced with the task of creating a lasting peace for Europe after the generation of welfare from 1792 to 1815. In order to handle this task, it required leader(s) that were strong, likable, and persuasive. Not only did these leaders need to have favorable ideas and personalities but these leaders needed to have guidelines for their actions. Their actions then needed to lead to a peaceful state that kept everyone from the working class to the upper class satisfied.

The two men that handled the task of creating a lasting peace for Europe after the generation of warfare were Metternich of Austria and Castlereagh of Great Britain. In order to start the peace throughout Europe, Metternich and Castlereagh as well as Charles Talleyrand of France opted to use balance of power to govern Europe. Balance of power meant that no state in Europe had more power than the other, everyone was equal. All states had equal political and military forces that would prevent war between any states and even more so prevent one state from dominating Europe.

Balance of power was the basis or foundation of Metternich and Castlereagh's actions. But in order to maintain peace, there can not be just a foundation; there also needed to be other levels that will cover other problems that arise amongst the states. For example, when Spain and the Two Sicilies of Italy were forced to grant liberal constitutions against their wills, something needed to be done. So Metternich and Castlereagh had a meeting in Troppau, Austria due to the fear of revolution rising once again. At this meeting, Metternich and Alexander I installed the principle of active intervention to maintain all autocratic regimes whenever they were threatened. This principle rapidly put out the revolution in Spain and the Two Sicilies.

Principles were created on top of the foundation of balance of power to maintain peace throughout Europe after 1815. But what could stir up the possibility of war? What could cause the balance of power and principles to fail? Liberalism. Metternich and Castlereagh both feared and despised liberalism. They both felt that liberalism was the cause of the disgruntled Europe that started in 1792. Liberalism stirred up the lower classes and made them feel like they had power, or at least should. Metternich and Castlereagh knew that liberalism went hand in hand with nationalism. If nationalism arose, there would be absolute chaos