Discussion

Which countries do you think had the
strongest influence during the
discussion about national borders at
the Congress of Vienna? Explain your
answer.
The countries that had important roles in
defeating Napoleon, such as Britain,
Russia, Prussia, and Austria
Post-Napoleonic Europe

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The Congress of Vienna: After the fall of Napoleon,
representatives of the victorious powers met at the Congress
of Vienna, intent on restoring the old European order. Led by
Prince Klemens von Metternich of Austria, they wanted to
assert a principle of legitimacy by restoring the royal families
who had ruled before Napoleon.
Balance of power and conservatism: The representatives
at the Congress of Vienna redrew territorial boundaries to
create a balance of power in Europe, so that no country
would again be able to dominate the others. Metternich and
many other leaders believed in the philosophy of
conservatism, based on a respect for tradition, social stability,
obedience to authority, and organized religion.
Principle of intervention: The great powers, except for
Britain, adopted a "principle of intervention," asserting their
right to use military force to oppose revolutions and restore
what they considered to be legitimate monarchs in countries
where governments had been overthrown.
Discussion

What was the idea behind the
"balance of power" concept in
European diplomacy?
The great powers sought to
prevent any one nation from
dominating the other nations and
thus ensure stability in Europe by
preserving the status quo.
Background

The delegates at the Congress of Vienna included
some of the most famous heads of state and
diplomatic leaders of the time. Along with Prince
Klemens von Metternich of Austria were Czar
Alexander I of Russia and King Frederick William III of
Prussia. Viscount Castlereagh represented Britain,
replaced later by the Duke of Wellington. King Louis
XVIII sent Charles-Maurice de Talleyrand, a French
statesman who had served in government during the
French Revolution, under Napoleon, and during the
restoration of the monarchy. Though the five great
powers led the discussions, heads of state and
diplomats from throughout Europe also attended. Each
delegation brought with them court advisers,
secretaries, and family members—all of whom were
entertained by their Austrian hosts and treated to the
glittering social life of Vienna.
Forces of Change
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Liberalism: Opposed to conservatism was
liberalism, a philosophy that grew out of the
Enlightenment and held that people should be
largely free from government restraint. Liberals
favored the protection of civil liberties, such as
freedom of speech, assembly, and the press;
religious toleration; the right of peaceful
opposition to governments; and representative
legislatures.
Nationalism: Another powerful force at the time
was nationalism—people's sense of unity with
others sharing their language, institutions, and
customs. The belief arose that each nationality
should have its own government, and this belief
was supported by liberals.
Discussion

How are the modern-day usages
of conservatism, liberalism,
and nationalism similar to the usages of the
terms in eighteenth- and nineteenth-century
Europe? In what ways are they different?
Modern liberalism and conservatism both support
universal suffrage, a constitution, and a
legislative branch; modern conservatism does
not support a king; neither term is associated with
class structure; modern nationalism can lead to
the division of a country rather than its unification.