The Congress of Vienna

Describe the ways in which conservative political and social views shaped the peace settlement of the Congress of Vienna. Explain the consequences of the peace settlement for the period 1815 to 1848.

In an attempt to restore order after the Napoleonic era, Europe's greatest powers joined a peace settlement known as the congress of Vienna. The changes that came about at the congress were ultimately shaped by the conservative political and social views that marked the period. These included territorial changes as well as attempts to restore absolute monarchies. Consequentially, reactions to these changes were not always favorable. Events such as the Burschenschaft revolts and the white terror suggest that in many regions, certain individuals still favored more liberal policies resulting in multiple uprisings that dented the anti-liberal order that had been restored by the Congress of Vienna.

The fiver great powers of the Congress of Vienna involved in the settlement included France, represented by minister Talleyrand Russia, represented by Alexander l, England, represented by Castlereagh, Prussia, represented by Hardenburg, and the greatest player of all, Austria, represented by Metternich. Metternich was basically the mastermind behind the whole settlement and the concepts that drove it and ultimately he held the power in the Congress. Metternich held very conservative, anti-nationalistic, and anti-liberal views on social and political structure. It was these very views that shaped the two main goals of the congress of Vienna: 1) Restore balance of power and 2) restore legitimacy. Restoring the balance of power was driven by ideas of anti-nationalism since it prevented any one country from rising up and becoming too powerful and independent. Legitimacy was driven by anti-revolutionary sentiment and involved returning all rightful rulers to their thrones, as they had been before the Napoleonic revolutions.

Proceeding the establishment of these conservatively driven goals, came many territorial changes. These changes satisfied the goal of restoring a balance of power and preventing nationalism within any on country. For instance, France's borders were strengthened and secured exactly where they were to prevent France from expanding any further, thus exemplifying anti-nationalism. In addition, the German Confederation of the Rhine was formed in which Germany was divided into three kingdoms further subdivided into thirty nine all under the control of Austria and Prussia, two of the major powers of the Congress of Vienna. Seeing as many individuals in Germany had hoped to unite as a single Republic, this division revealed that that the main goal behind it was to prevent German unity, thus preventing German nationalism, once again demonstrating conservative tendencies.

The goal of restoring legitimacy was exemplified in all of the attempts of the Congress to restore absolute monarchy. For example, during the Napoleonic era, Napoleon placed many of his relatives in the thrones of many European countries, such as Italy. However, as a result of the settlement, Napoleon-appointed rulers were removed from the throne and rightful absolute monarchs were returned. The bourbon monarchy was restored in France under Louis XVll and absolute monarchy was restored in Spain under Ferdinand Vll. Since these restorations were attempts to bring all conditions back to the way before they were the revolution this again reflecting conservative anti-revolutionary views held by Metternich and thus the Congress of Vienna.

Although the Congress of