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Revolutions of 1848: Crash Course European History #26

CrashCourse・13 minutes read

The year 1848 marked a significant turning point in Europe, characterized by widespread revolutions fueled by economic distress and ineffective governance, leading to the establishment of provisional governments and the publication of "The Communist Manifesto." Despite the revolutions resulting in substantial violence and repression, they ultimately ended serfdom for Austrian peasants, providing a measure of progress for some while exposing deep social divides and emerging anti-Semitism.

Insights

  • The year 1848 was a transformative period in Europe, characterized by widespread revolutions fueled by economic hardship and ineffective governance, particularly evident in France and the Austrian Empire, where social classes united against oppressive rulers but ultimately faced violent repression and significant loss of life.
  • The Irish famine from 1845 to 1852, exacerbated by the British government's neglect and laissez-faire policies, resulted in catastrophic population decline and mass emigration, highlighting the severe consequences of governmental inaction during crises and setting the stage for long-term social and economic repercussions in Ireland.

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Summary

00:00

Revolutions and Famine Transform Europe in 1848

  • The year 1848 is highlighted as a pivotal moment in European history, marked by widespread revolutions across France, the Austrian Empire, Denmark, Hungary, the Italian States, and Poland, driven by economic dislocation and ineffective governance in the face of industrialization and automation.
  • The "Hungry Forties" period saw severe food shortages exacerbated by bad harvests and the potato blight, particularly devastating in Ireland, where over a million people died from starvation and diseases, and another million emigrated due to the crisis.
  • The British government's laissez-faire approach during the Irish famine, which lasted from 1845 to 1852, resulted in no assistance for the Irish, while food was exported from Ireland to England, worsening the plight of the Irish peasants.
  • The population of Ireland dropped from approximately eight million in 1840 to around 6.6 million today, illustrating the long-term impact of the famine on the country.
  • In 1848, revolutions in Paris were sparked by a coalition of upper-class reformers and discontented workers, leading to the exile of King Louis-Philippe and the establishment of a provisional government that created national workshops to provide jobs for the unemployed.
  • Louis Blanc, a socialist, played a crucial role in advocating for the establishment of these national workshops, which were later shut down by a new national assembly composed of less than ten percent workers, leading to violent uprisings in June 1848.
  • The elections held in France after the establishment of the republic were based on universal male suffrage, resulting in Louis-Napoleon Bonaparte's victory, supported primarily by rural peasants.
  • The publication of "The Communist Manifesto" by Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels in 1848 introduced the concept of class struggle, predicting that the proletariat would eventually seize control of production from the upper class.
  • In Poland, the 1846 revolt against Austrian rule failed due to a lack of support from peasants who viewed Austrian governance as a means to escape feudal obligations, leading to a violent uprising against the Polish nobility.
  • The revolutions across the Austrian Empire in March 1848 united various social classes against the unpopular Prince Metternich, resulting in his flight and the eventual abdication of Emperor Ferdinand in favor of his nephew, Francis Joseph, amidst calls for constitutional reforms and an end to feudalism.

13:35

Revolutions of 1848 and Their Consequences

  • Following the removal of Metternich, the common purpose among peasants and liberals in the Austrian Empire dissipated, as peasants were less interested in noble and middle-class rights after the abolition of traditional dues and obligations. Many liberals and aristocrats opposed granting voting rights to workers, believing they lacked a broader perspective, with some specifically targeting Jewish individuals as unworthy of rights, foreshadowing future anti-Semitism that would spread throughout Eastern and Central Europe.
  • The revolutions of 1848 resulted in significant violence and repression, with around 100,000 people killed across the Austrian Empire and additional casualties elsewhere, as Tsar Nicholas I deployed 300,000 troops to suppress the Hungarian uprising in 1849. Despite the turmoil, the revolutions led to the end of serfdom for Austrian peasants, allowing them and future generations the opportunity to escape a cycle of debt to the aristocracy, suggesting that for some families, the revolution was ultimately worthwhile.
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