Conservative Governments: The Domestic Political Order

1. Conservative Governments:The Domestic Political Order

2. Popular in Great Britain and Eastern Europe

3. 3 Pillars of 19th Century Conservatism • Legitimate Monarchies • Landed Aristocracies • Established Churches

4. Beliefs of Conservatives • Monarchs could only trust governments of aristocracy. • No representative govt. could protect private property. • No written constitutions. • The Church- hated Enlightenment ideas.

5. Danger Brewing… • The aristocracy knew that they were surrounded by liberal enemies. • At any time, they could be toppled. • Conflicts in one country could easily spill into others.

6. Austrian Prince Metternich • Epitomized 19th Century Conservatism. • Attempted to keep the states of the German confederation from having constitutions. • Prevented Austria from having a representative government.

7. German Confederation

8. Frederick William III of Prussia • Initially promised his people a constitutional government. • Through some inter-working, kept complete control of Prussia (junkers).

9. Power of students… • Students organized nationalistic clubs to counteract conservatism (burschenshaft)

10. Karl Sand • Assassinated conservative dramatist August von Kotzebue who mocked the students.

11. Carlsbad Decrees • Issued by Prince Metternich • Created university inspectors, press censors, and the right for the ruler to deny the requests of constitutionalists. • What kind of society did this create?

12. Problems Arise in Britain • 1815, two consecutive poor harvests. • Displaced British soldiers/ sailors discharged. • Unemployment was high.

13. Lord Liverpool’s Ministry • Protected the interests of the land and wealthy classes. • Corn law- tax on imported grain. • No income tax paid by rich- instead, sales taxes on consumer goods. • Poor law- nearly eliminated. • 1799 Combination Acts- banned workers organizations.

14. British commoners begin an uprising • Coercion Acts issued in 1817, which suspended habeas corpus and extended laws against seditious gatherings.

15. Northern Britain • Coercion Acts deterred few. • Peterloo Massacre

16. Six Acts Passed • No public meetings • Raised fines for seditious libel • Speedy trials for agitators • Increased Newspaper taxes • Prohibited training of armed groups • Home searches permitted

17. Cato Street Conspiracy • Radicals attempted to blow up the British Cabinet. • The plot was unearthed and foiled. • 5 hanged

18. Bourbon Restoration in France • Louis XVIII • Agreed to be a constitutional monarch under his terms, the Charter.

19. The Charter • 2 House Party- one picked by king, one elected officials. • Religious toleration. • Property rights to confiscated property. • Declaration of the Rights of Man

20. Ultraroyalism • Louis’ brother, Count of Artois gets revenge. • Former revolutionaries and Napoleon supporters killed.

21. A Liberal life in France (about as funny as “Sinbad in Montreal.”) • Liberals nearly ousted from the country in the 1820’s. • Secondary Education under control of Roman Catholic Bishops. • Press Censorship imposed. • Wealthy given more control.

22. That was a lot of notes!