16. The Great Powers of the 19th Century

Europe in 1871

What follows is a survey of political developments in the major European states over the course of the 19^th Century. The countries examined are Britain, France, Italy, Germany, Austria, and Russia. The overviews are basically summaries of each state’s national experience since 1815. In short …

(16.1) Industrial Britain will emerge as the world’s major commercial power with a global empire that will be the envy of the other powers. Britain will also experience political liberalization as the franchise is extended to a broader base of the population. Throughout the 19th and into the 20th centuries, Ireland (16.2) will prove an on-going problem for Britain.

(16.3) The 19^th Century will see France struggling with the legacy of the Revolution as it swings from right to left in search of political stability and its national identity.

The forces of nationalism and Realpolitik will bring about the political unification of Italy (16.4) and Germany (16.5). Both states would seek their place in a restructuring of the European balance of power.

(16.6) Austria will struggle with the aspirations of its patchwork of peoples and cultures and restructure itself as the Dual Monarchy of Austria-Hungary.

(16.7) Still experiencing the long-term effects of Peter the Great’s reforms, Russia will remain caught between the traditions of czarist absolutism and the need to modernize.

The listing of sources for The Great Powers of the 19^th Century: Britain, France, Italy, Germany, Austria-Hungary, and Russia follows the section on Russia (16.7).