Effect of 1830 Revolution on Euroupe during the reign.


 The 1830 revolutions had positive and negative effects on the political, 
social and economic developments of Europe. Some of its effects were 
short term while others were long term and everlasting in the history of 
Europe.
Negative effects
1. Loss of life and destruction of property
The 1830 revolutions resulted into massive loss of lives and destruction of 
property. In Belgium, the Dutch troops attacked and killed thousands of 
Belgians while the revolutionaries destroyed important places like opera 
house. In Italian states, Spain and Portugal, civil war developed after the 
revolutions and led to more death and destruction of property.
2. Downfall of Kings and their governments
The 1830 revolutions led to the downfall of Kings and their governments. The 
revolution in Belgium overthrew the Belgian crown as the Belgians regained 
their independence from king Leopold II of the Kingdom of Netherlands. In 
France, Charles X and the restored Bourbon monarchy were overthrown 
and never again re-surfaced in the political leadership of France. In the 
German states of Brunswick, the ruling Duke was overthrown. In the Italian 
states of Modena and Parma, King Francis IV and Marie Louise were 
overthrown respectively. The downfall of these Kings and governments 
were a direct consequence of revolutionary activities against them.
3. Downfall of Louis Philippe and Orleans monarchy
The 1830 revolutions in Belgium, Italian states and Poland contributed to the 
downfall of Louis Philippe and Orleans's monarchy in France. The liberals. 
Catholics and glory seekers in France pressurized Louis Philippe to assist the 
revolutionaries in Belgium, Italy and Poland but Philippe declined. It madethem to criticize his government and leadership as incompetent of reviving 
the French lost glory and prestige in Europe. This undermined the popularity 
of Louis Philippe and Orleans monarchy right from the start and contributed 
to outbreak of 1848 revolution, which terminated Louis Philippe and the 
monarchy from the "political landscape" of France.
4. Total Collapse of the Congress system
The 1830 revolutions led to total collapse of the congress system. The 
congress system that was instituted maintain the Vienna settlement and 
peace was finally brought to an end by the 1830 revolutions. The revolutions 
created more divisions amongst the congress powers and consequently 
undermined the concert of Europe/ spirit of togetherness. For instance, 
Britain and France supported the revolution in Belgium, which was opposed 
by Austria, Prussia and Russia. Britain and Russia also supported the 
revolutions in Italian and German states against Austria. All these 
undermined the concert of Europe and made it impossible to revive the 
congress system that had already been weakened by other factors.
5. Outbreak of1848 revolutions in Europe and 1863revolution in Poland
The 1830 revolutions also contributed to the outbreak of the 1848 revolutions 
in Europe. The suppression of Italian, German and Polish revolutions left 
them more determined to fight due to unfulfilled aims and objectives i.e. 
freedom. This partly explains why Italians and Germans kept resisting 
Austrian influence, which climaxed into the 1848 revolutions. The success of 
the Belgium and French revolutions of 1830 discredited the Vienna 
settlement and moral boosted the Italians, Germans and Poles to fight and 
overthrow the arrangement of the Vienna settlement in their states. Besides, 
the revolutions made Metternich to toughen his repressive policy against 
Italians, Germans and Hungarians only to drag them the 1848 revolutions. 
The failure of the Poles to achieve their aims and objectives in 1830 made 
them continue with the struggle that led to the outbreak of yet another 
revolution in 1863.
6. Weakened Metternich's influence in Europe
Metternich’s influence and system in Europe were undermined by the 1830 
revolutions. In the Vienna settlement of 1815; Metternich influenced the 
delegates to restore the Bourbon monarchy in France and amalgamate 
Belgium with Holland. This was successfully reversed in 1830 when the 
restored Bourbons were over thrown and Belgium broke off from Holland. 
Metternich failed to influence European statesmen to suppress therevolutions and preserve the Vienna settlement. The rise of Louis Philippe in 
France and Leopold Saxe-Coburg in Belgium with anti-Metternich 
background and policies left Metternich isolated from 1830. It helped to 
shift the balance of power from Vienna to London. This partly explains why 
there was increased opposition to Metternich's influence in Europe from 
1830 -1848.
7. Oppression and suppression of the masses
The 1830 revolutions had disastrous consequences in areas where the 
revolutionaries failed to succeed.
Oppressive policies were adopted to safeguard the re-emergence of 
further revolutionary movements.
Metternich oppressed the Italians and Germans more by tightening his 
conservative and anti-liberal policies e.g. press censorship, imprisonment 
and exile of liberals, spy network and use of force. Tsar Nicholas I abolished 
freedom of press and parliament in Poland. He forcefully took polish 
children for military training in Russia. He went ahead to close the University 
of Warsaw and turned the entire city of Warsaw into a military garrison. It 
should be noted that severe suppression and militarism in the aftermath of 
the revolutions forced hundreds of Italians, Germans and Poles into exile 
especially in Western Europe and America.
Positive effects
8. Success of the revolutions in France and Belgium
The revolutions in France and Belgium succeeded and the revolutionaries 
were able to take power from conservative and despotic leaders. This 
strengthened the forces of liberalism and nationalism not only in France
and Belgium but also all over Europe. However, the revolutions in Poland, 
Spain, Italian and German states failed to succeed. The revolutions in 
Poland were suppressed by Russian troops while those of German and 
Italian states were crushed by Austrian and local royalists.
9. Success of the Greek war of independence
The success of the Greek war of independence was facilitated by the 1830 
revolutions. The Greeks started are rebellion against Turkey in 1821 and were 
still fighting by 1830. The outbreak of revolutions in France, Belgium, Poland, 
Italian and German, states created more instability in Europe that diverted 
the attention of European powers. This made the major powers of Europeunable to oppose the Greek revolt and instead support the declaration of
her independence in 1832 i.e. Britain, France and Russia.
10. Rise of new men and governments
The 1830 revolutions also led to the emergence of new men and 
governments in the politics of Europe. In Belgium, an independent 
constitutional monarchy was established under the leadership of Leopold 
Saxe-Coburg, as its first king. In France, the Orleans monarchy under the 
leadership of Louis Philippe took over power after the success of the 
revolution. IPs also important to acknowledge that the middle class who 
had been discriminated in French politics dominated key positions in 
government. The failure of the revolution in Italian states led to the rise of 
Mazzini who formed the young Italian movement to fight for Italian 
independence and unification.
11. Consolidation of constitutional liberal system of government
The revolution led to attainment of constitutional liberal system of 
government in Europe. In France, the 1814 charter was revised in 1830 and 
thus the Orleans monarchy became a liberal constitutional monarchy. 
Belgium was also declared a liberal constitutional monarchy with an 
independent judiciary, elected parliament and executive. In Brunswick [a 
German state], Spain and Portugal, the post revolutionary governments 
were forced to grant liberal constitutions. One can therefore conclude that 
the 1830 revolutions consolidated the idea of constitutionalism in Europe.
12. Exposed the weakness of the Vienna settlement
The revolutions undermined the credibility of the Vienna settlement and 
destroyed its achievements. The settlement had undermined liberalism and 
nationalism in Belgium, Poland, Italian and German states by imposing 
foreign rule. In France, the settlement underrated the achievements of the 
French revolution and Napoleon by restoring the rule of the Bourbons. 
However, the outbreak of the 1830 revolutions in these slates manifested 
that the Vienna settlement was unrealistic in maintaining a lasting peace in 
Europe. The revolutions also helped to overturn the bad arrangements of 
the settlement in Belgium and France. Even where the revolutions did not 
succeed e.g. Italian and German states, the forces of liberalism and 
nationalism were strengthened, which kept undermining the credibility of 
the settlement. This was shown when the restored Bourbon monarchy was 
over thrown and Belgium separated from Holland.Discover more

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