Photo AI
During the period 1815-1848, what was the system of Metternich and to what extent was it a system designed to resist change? - Leaving Cert History - Question 1 - 2018
Question 1
During the period 1815-1848, what was the system of Metternich and to what extent was it a system designed to resist change?
Worked Solution & Example Answer:During the period 1815-1848, what was the system of Metternich and to what extent was it a system designed to resist change? - Leaving Cert History - Question 1 - 2018
Step 1
What was the system of Metternich?
Answer
The Metternich system, established during the Congress of Vienna in 1815, was a diplomatic framework aimed at maintaining a balance of power in Europe after the Napoleonic Wars. Key features included the principle of legitimacy, where rightful monarchs were restored, and interventions to suppress revolutionary movements. Metternich believed in a conservative order, prioritizing the stability of monarchies over individual freedoms.
Step 2
To what extent was it a system designed to resist change?
Answer
The Metternich system was fundamentally designed to resist change. This is evident through its policies of intervention. Metternich organized the Holy Alliance, which aimed to suppress any democratic or nationalist uprisings across Europe. For example, the concert of powers—Austria, Prussia, and Russia—cooperated to quell revolutions in Italy and Spain, demonstrating a commitment to maintaining the status quo. However, the pressures of nationalism and liberalism eventually began to erode the Metternich system, leading to its decline by the 1848 revolutions.