Two Key Factors

The revolutions were widespread (across mainland Europe) The revolutions were initially successful

Various socio-economic crises across Europe may the tense political situation worse
Increasing unemployment & food prices
Similar to the conditions of Frances 1789-92 revolution

Most revolutions were put down within one year

Lack of cohesiveness among revolutionaries

Conservative governments would dominate much of Europe for

the next 60 years following 1848

It is important not to over-generalize the resemblance of the revolutions between the different states

40000000 35000000 30000000 25000000 20000000 15000000 10000000 5000000 0 Britain France
Peasant

1820 1840

Spain

Russia

populations were moving to cities Cholera outbreaks and other diseases spread rampantly

 Revolts
315)

are not the result of one crisis, but from the conjunction of several Ernest Labrousse (pg Crisis

Agricultural

Peak in 1845 Up to 1 million deaths in Ireland alone (potato famine) Crop failures in Belgium, Holland, Germany & Poland Food prices rose dramatically (btw 50-70% in Hamburg)
70% of working class income was spent on food at this time

 Industrial

Crisis

Boom and bust economic cycles

Markets saturated from overproduction Massive unemployment

 The

BIG FOUR

Liberalism
Democracy Socialism Nationalism
Each

of these ideologies were still in their embryonic stages Each was understood in a widely diverse ways

 Issues

of the urban poor were steadily increasing

Disease, mortality, over-crowding, increasing crime,

breakdown of traditional lifestyles

The

term working class was first used in Britain in 1815; in France in 1830 Key question: to what extent did the working classes possess class consciousness? (Marxist theory)

Three main categories

1. Upper Middle Class (grande Bourgeoisie) Manufacturers, bankers, merchants (small but powerful) Extremely wealthy Conservative ideology 2. Businessmen & Professionals Lawyers, doctors, teachers, clerks Well-educated (thus liberal), but not nearly as wealthy 3. Lower Middle Class Shop-keepers & traditional artisans

Each demographic had its own distinct concerns