Liberalism and Conservatism (1780-1848)

Liberalism and Conservatism (1780-1848)

     The American war who ended in 1776 with the signing, on July the 4th of the “American Declaration of Independence” blow a wind of pre-revolutionary ideas over Europe. Thus liberalism in favour of  a set of political doctrines based on the guaranty of individual right against the arbitrary authority of a government, is breathed by the Glorious revolution of 1688, and the American revolution in 1775, brings into conflict with a strong conservatism of traditional system of the olds absolute monarchies of Europe. As the nearly acquired idea widely diffused during the Enlightenment. We ca wonder, how did the struggles between liberals and conservatives shape the political arena of this period?

Indeed, things did not change as radically as one might think from these European absolute monarchies to new more democratic systems. Looking at the chorological borders of this subject, we can see that they start along the Gordon Riots in London symbol of the anti-reformist side of the British population, and end with the proclamation of the Second Republic of France, following the Revolution of 1848 in Paris.

The subject will be treated in that way : After considering the development of the liberal though in Europe, and highlight the dominance of the conservative power, we will focus on the emergence of the liberal revolution to change the political system in Europe and their colonies. France will be used as an example of changes on a European scale, as it underwent many transformations during this chronological focus and had share of time an important influence on the rest of the Continent.

1. The repression of conservatism against the rise of the liberal thoughts in Europe

Liberals thoughts spread initially in England after in France with some thinker like Rousseau Montesquieu Turgot applied the liberal economic reforms decades before the French revolution. but it was during the French revolution which the liberal’s reforms were apply “if the privileged order were removed, the nation would not be something less but something more” ^[1]Sieyes, What is the Third Estate page 2. Notably thanks to the Declaration of the Rights of Man and Citizen the 26th August 1789, who guaranteed the individual liberties, the Revolution applied the Economic liberalism reforms.

Created a feeling of fear for the neighbour’s monarchies, and a war breaking out between France and Austria and Prussia.  Despite of the victory of France Insurrection of royalist in Vendée rose against the government of the Convention. Britain took a dim view of French Revolution, conservatist such as Edmund Burke paradoxically members of the Whigs party i,  according to him, the radical novelty of the French Revolution an unprecedented event introduces into history a rupture that disrupts its course and threatens the order of the world. He depicts his critics in his book of Reflexions on the French Revolution (1790)

Conservatism stays strong in Europe the declaration of the 1st Empire by Napoléon Bonaparte stops the progress of liberalism, with an Imperial Centralization.  Movement of Restauration was based on conservative ideology, Joseph de Maistre and Chateaubriand sustained a strong conservatism a return of a divine right of king, a strong idea of state religion. Following Napoleon’s exiles, Louis XVIII was brought to the head of the French state. He believer in liberal ways of bringing change to France. In 1818, he ratified the charter a piece of legislation that among many other things granted liberties, like the liberty of press, who was muzzled under Napoleon 1st. Yet, Louis XVIII feared for his legitimacy of the throne, and this fear prevented from being too liberal in his reforms.   At his death in 1824 it was Charles X who took his place. his convictions were more conservatists: he took measure like reducing the number of seats in the two chambers of parliament that were created under the Charter, as a part of the 26th of July 1830 July ordinances Protests started growing and reached their climate in 1827, after bad harvest  and economic hardships. The turning point was the appointment, in 1839 of a refractor ministers leading the country further and further from the ideas of the revolution. After the promulgation of the July ordinances, on the 27th, 28th and 29th of July, took place a popular revolt: the three glorious day depicted by Eugene Delacroix. This revolt led to the instauration of the July Monarchy; liberals offer the throne to Louis-Phillipe 1st.

The years following these events will totally change the political arena of Europe, People demonstrating more and more to crush the ruling powers. Despite a dominant conservative feeling at the early 1800’s, the liberalism takes a foothold dur notably of the Industrialize revolution.

1. Rise of Liberalism Nationalism against the Multinational conservatives Empire

Conservatism led by Joseph de Maistre already existed but became prominent among European monarchs, with Charles X as an example, nationalism, who emerged after napoleon’s rule and romanticism, an artistic movement deeply linked to the two form formers. Romantism deeply engaged with nationalism conservatism and religion. During first half of XIX century a wave of contestation appears everywhere.

In Latin America, governed by the Peninsulares the white peoples from Spain, creoles wanted to take advantage of the weak situation of Spain. Lots of colonies rose against Spain. Venezuela had cadre of well-trained creoles revolutionaries, when by 1811 had a formal a revolutionary junta that seized the power in Caracas and formed a Republic.  Independentists Leaders as Simon Bolivar “El libertador” convinced the Llaneros to give up fighting for Spain and start fighting against them, or Jose de San Martin helped the insurrections against the crown of Spain. The Latin America independence war as view like a victory of the establishment against the conservative’s monarchies, Evans wrote: “Republican movements, inspired by the French Revolutions and backed by the British, sprang up all over Latin America. Sea power was vital to the South American independence movement, and it was British sea power that tipped the balance.” ^[2]   explain that an even more weakened Spain, liberals saw that it was possible to get rid of conservatives.  This symptomatic of the European monarch’s fear their position and reject of the revolutionary ides. Considering the example of Russia, where at the death of the tsar Alexander 1st two sides formed to try and take power : the young nobles of the North, attached to the British system and the young officers of the south , wanting to promote ideas of the French republic . both sides were crushed by the new tsar Nicolas 1st, who promoted autocracy, orthodoxy, and Russian nationality, three rather conservatives

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