Triumph of Conservative Nationalism

I. Reasons for Ascendancy of Nationalism

A. Failure of liberal revolutions of 1848

1. liberals' disunity and lack of political experience

2. collapse of Chartism

B. Convergence of conservatism and nationalism

1. appeals to middle class fears of socialism

2. appeals to desire for national security and glory

C. Argument for national power bolstered by spirit of realism and science

(more on this connection later)

II. Age of Conservative Nationalism

A. France: Napoleon III

1. Strong, active government

2. Investing in industry and infastructure

3. Rebuilding Paris

4. Building French global power

B. Italy: Cavour and Garibaldi

1. Count Cavour's practical approach

a. alliance with Napoleon III (1859)

2. Garibaldi's romantic nationalism

a. invasion of Sicily (1860)

b. choice for nationalism over liberalism

C. Germany: Otto von Bismarck

1. Bismarck's conservative realpolitick

a. goal was to preserve monarchy and aristocracy

b. policy was to unite Germany under Prussian king

c. neutralizes German liberals by achieving national unity

2. Unity by "blood and iron" rather than high-sounding words

a. wars against Denmark and Austria

b. North German Confederation (1867)

c. Franco-Prussian War (1870-71)

3. Creation of the German Empire

a. triumph of conservative, militarist nationalism

D. British and French responses to rise of Germany

1. Benjamin Disraeli's imperialist policy

2. France's Third Republic

a. imperialism

b. secularism

III. Resurgence of Science and Realism

A. Connections between "realism," "realpolitick" and science

1. building policy on things "as they are" rather that what we hope for

2. disappointment with revolution, ideology and Romanticism

3. Realism and Religion

B. Art: reaction against excesses of Romanticism

1. Gustave Courbet's Stonebreakers

2. portrait of Napoleon III

C. Political Science

1. Marx's "scientific socialism"

a. human society explained in material terms

b. class struggle and revolution are "inevitable"

2. Charles Darwin's theory of evolution (1859)

a. animal and human development explained in material terms

b. struggle for life is inevitable

3. Social Darwinism

a. what policies does Darwin himself suggest?