What is going on in 19th century Europe?
During the nineteenth century, the nations of Europe experienced much change in the various aspects of government and lifestyle. Changes such as urbanization and the shifting of powers caused by new influences played a major role in the development of Europe. The disputes between liberal and conservative movements still proved to be prominent along with more radical ideas that were being put into effect. Europe was in a time of constant change which was able to improve politics and economy, along with the lives of the general public.
European politics were altered during the nineteenth century by events that caused important long term effects. The Congress of Vienna, which created new national borders within Europe following the conquests of Napoleon was able to balance the power of Europe again. It is a perfect example of conservatism trying to destroy liberalism. This group of men, each representing different territories and parts of Europe, tried to bring the continent back to what it was like before the revolution, which was a blatant attempt to erase that time from history altogether. From the complete opposite end of the spectrum, the ideas of Karl Marx and Frederick Engels which were spread in the
Communist Manifesto brought about the radical ideas of a classless society. Communism was created during the nineteenth century, and was based on equality for all members of a nation. It completely rid a person of property, which was all owned by the government. The government controlled the means of production and combined all industries and systems to serve the purpose of a super-efficient nation. Many new ideas that were being spread during this time was due to the Industrial Revolution. With new inventions and lifestyle improvements, people who had moved from rural areas to cities became more influential in politics. The balance of power within a nation shifted greatly during the nineteenth century as nationalism reached greater heights, and the involvement in one's government became a priority for many more citizens of Europe.
Economically, the nineteenth century brought about a time of prosperity in some parts of Europe, while in others, it was a time of extreme debt and hardships. The inventions of the Industrial Revolution created many job openings and facilitated the mass production of goods. Items that had been scarce before were now plentiful and could be made as well as purchased cheaply. In France, however, the revolution of 1848 led to very low employment as the need for food was greater than the need for manufactured goods. The working class and peasants had revolted for equality in taxes and the involvement in government and society. The poor harvest which was another main cause of the revolution deeply impacted France's economy. The Crimean War also had negative effects on the land it involved. The growing influence of Russia challenged the economic power of competing nations and caused the alliance of France, Great Britain, and the Ottoman Empire to take on Imperial Russia in war. It mostly involved the Crimean Peninsula, which took heavy economic damage during this time. The Irish Potato Famine saw economic ruin as well. While the countless numbers of deaths and Irish fleeing the land left job opportunities, agriculture was still needed, and the disease that destroyed the potato crop left farmers and workers starving. The economy in Europe was in great turmoil in nations such as France and Ireland, but in areas such as Britain, which was experiencing many advancements,the economy was flourishing.
Religion was also going through many changes during the nineteenth century. A very important event that affected religion was the Dreyfus Affair. Dreyfus, a Jew, had been accused of treason against his country of France and many believed that the event had been set up by a group of anti-semites . The trial showed that religion still played a major role in society, and that equality had not truly been reached. The state turned against Dreyfus, while the Jewish people along with the church supported him. The entire event helped to establish many ties that still exist between religions today. Although religion was a main concern in many parts of Europe, other nations that were affected by the Industrial Revolution seemed to stray away from the impact of religion. With more inventions leading to more job openings, people in need of a better income moved to the cities. The impact of religion fell less on people as they turned to the importance of surviving with income and improving existing inventions and lifestyles. Religion definitely contributed to Europe during the nineteenth century with the various events that either impacted people's lives more or diminished the impact of religion.
Socially, Europe's power and influence shifted during the nineteenth century. The Industrial Revolution greatly impacted the balance of power as urbanization led to people of the lower class gaining more influence within a country. Job opportunities and ways to improve inventions allowed people to also climb the social ladder, which had been practically impossible before. Through Romanticism, people also were able to impact Europe. By writing and painting, artists of the era could spread their ideas of the world and mankind and focus on improving one's mind. During the nineteenth century, people became more involved in their country due to the advancements that were made and the freedoms that were now possessed.
The intellectual movements in Europe affected the way people viewed matters in both their nation and their lives. The Congress of Vienna helped to establish the powers of Europe and also demonstrated the impact conservatism still had on people. The nineteenth century was also a time of nationalism. Despite the conflicts between both sides of government, people thought strongly of their country and worked hard to keep it ahead of others in advancements and power. The greater amount of involvement within one's country also helped to spread many ideas. During the Feminist movement, women philosophers shared their need to gain freedoms with the rest of Europe. Women, who had many limitations previous to the movement, gained the right to vote and became much more involved in politics and society. They also gained the right to own property and became an influence in the running of the household and family matters. The intellectual movements of the nineteenth century came from the additional influence one could have on their country and caused everyone within a nation to see both sides of a story, allowing laws and traditions to be enforced when they were what was best for society.
The nineteenth century saw many artistic advancements as well. The impact that various artists could have on Europe helped to spread many of the movements of that time and share views on political events. Besides paintings and poetry, political cartoons gave people an opportunity to voice their opinions in pictures and played a strong role during times of dispute between certain groups, be it political or religious. Art was a strong influence in Europe and many ideas that were used during the nineteenth century are still used today.
The change Europe went through during the nineteenth century was astronomical. Advancements were made to every industry, industries were created, and citizens became more influential to their country than ever before. Political sides were still feuding, a new radical movement was formed, and still nationalism was at an all time high in most countries. Despite the despair present in some countries, Europe as a whole took a giant step forward during the nineteenth century, and laid down the foundation for the advancements that were to follow in the next one hundred years.
