Morgan Clelland
HIST 202
Metternich: Revolution and
Reaction
, The first half of the nineteenth century brought revolutionary upheaval to many of the
major European powers. The monarchs of Europe no longer found themselves fighting primarily
against outside forces, but had to divert extensive efforts to quell unrest from within. Spain
provided the catalyst for this revolutionary upheaval when an uprising formed a new constitution
in 1812. Many states followed in experiencing revolution with some uprisings succeeding and
some failing miserably. The many attempts at overthrowing the existing order led conservatives
like Austrian Prime Minister Metternich to believe that his worst fears had come true. He saw a
conspiracy to undermine every European monarchy and believed that all revolution had to be
crushed. Metternich believed that he had to bring the monarchial governments to react or allow
unfit people to prevail in crafting destructive and tyrannical societies that would reach elsewhere.
Metternich believed that he was fighting against the abandonment of all morality and
wisdom. He asserted that revolutionaries are devoid of morality and wisdom, thereby ensuring
that any state under their authority would be plunged into a period of devastation (“Confessions”
1). Metternich distinguishes the ruling houses as stabilizing forces that alone can be entrusted
with making the right decisions and ensuring justice for all people. He believed that the
monarchs were necessary for protecting the state from revolutionaries that were incapable of
understanding how to manage their knowledge and judging calmly (“Confessions” 2). For
Metternich, the monarchy was the only institution that prevented the state from declining into an
evil existence based upon erroneous judgment (“Confessions” 2). There may have been
acknowledgements that revolutionary upheaval resulted from genuine problems, but anyone
outside of the monarchial system would never be accepted as possessing the capacity for
handling those problems. The wellbeing of the state would fall under what was considered the
most capable institution of the monarchy.
HIST 202
Metternich: Revolution and
Reaction
, The first half of the nineteenth century brought revolutionary upheaval to many of the
major European powers. The monarchs of Europe no longer found themselves fighting primarily
against outside forces, but had to divert extensive efforts to quell unrest from within. Spain
provided the catalyst for this revolutionary upheaval when an uprising formed a new constitution
in 1812. Many states followed in experiencing revolution with some uprisings succeeding and
some failing miserably. The many attempts at overthrowing the existing order led conservatives
like Austrian Prime Minister Metternich to believe that his worst fears had come true. He saw a
conspiracy to undermine every European monarchy and believed that all revolution had to be
crushed. Metternich believed that he had to bring the monarchial governments to react or allow
unfit people to prevail in crafting destructive and tyrannical societies that would reach elsewhere.
Metternich believed that he was fighting against the abandonment of all morality and
wisdom. He asserted that revolutionaries are devoid of morality and wisdom, thereby ensuring
that any state under their authority would be plunged into a period of devastation (“Confessions”
1). Metternich distinguishes the ruling houses as stabilizing forces that alone can be entrusted
with making the right decisions and ensuring justice for all people. He believed that the
monarchs were necessary for protecting the state from revolutionaries that were incapable of
understanding how to manage their knowledge and judging calmly (“Confessions” 2). For
Metternich, the monarchy was the only institution that prevented the state from declining into an
evil existence based upon erroneous judgment (“Confessions” 2). There may have been
acknowledgements that revolutionary upheaval resulted from genuine problems, but anyone
outside of the monarchial system would never be accepted as possessing the capacity for
handling those problems. The wellbeing of the state would fall under what was considered the
most capable institution of the monarchy.
