Congress of Vienna
In 1815, representatives from countries all over Europe met in Austria for the Congress of Vienna in order to determine the future of Europe. A
The representatives at the Congress of Vienna, including Prince Metternich of Austria, who were supposed to restore Europe after Napoleon, were mostly the wealthy ruling classes that naturally wanted to reinstate the old order. They accused the middle classes of disrupting society.
“It is principally the middle classes of society who have been infected by this moral gangrene and it is only amongst them that are found the true, prime movers of this theory.”
“[The middle class] applies itself to persuading Kings that their rights are limited to sitting on a throne while the right to govern and to attack the centuries-old heritage of all that is sacred and positive with regard to man, in sum, to deny the values of the past and to declare themselves masters of creation of the future, is reserved to their class.”
Metternich and many other people who agreed with his creed promoted the reinstatement of monarchies in Europe because they were all members of the ruling class, and argued that although very many people did not support the old order any more, the delegates at the Congress of Vienna believed that change should not occur in times of turmoil, and thus executed their own agenda over the desires of the population.
“There is a rule of conduct common to individuals and to States, which has been acquired through the experience of centuries and of daily life and which teaches us that "reform ought not to be considered in the midst of passionate agitation; wisdom dictates that at such moments one should do no more than maintain the status quo.
Let Monarchs adopt this principle vigorously, let all their resolutions bear its mark. Let their actions, their measures and even their words proclaim it and prove before the world their determination; they will find allies everywhere. By establishing the principle of stability Governments in no way exclude the development of what is for the good, since stability does not mean immobility. But it is up to those who are charged with the heavy task of governing to increase the well-being of the people! It is up to Governments to control the means of achieving this, depending on need and the times. It is not by means of concessions, which the factions mean to impose on the legitimate power but which they have neither the right to demand nor the faculty of containing within just limits, that wise reforms can be achieved! Let everything possible be done for the good – such is our most ardent wish – but do not let what is not for the good be confused with what is, and let what is genuinely for the good only be undertaken by those who legally unite the due authority and the means of action.”
The Congress of Vienna also saw the founding of what was known as the Holy Alliance between Austria, Russia, and Prussia. G The creation of the Holy Alliance happened at the same time as the so-called Principle of Intervention and Principle of Legitimacy, which were also expressed in the treaty. These dictated, respectively, that the Great Powers could enter each other’s lands in order to help repress rebellions, and also that the noble ruling families alone had the right to govern those nations.
“Their Majesties the Emperor of Austria, the King of Prussia, and the Emperor of Russia, having, in consequence of the great events which have marked the course of the three last years in Europe... will remain united by the bonds of a true and indissoluble fraternity, and considering each other as fellow countrymen, they will, on all occasions and in all places, lend each other aid and assistance.”
“The sole principle of force, whether between the said governments or between their Subjects, shall be that of doing one another reciprocal service, ... the three allied princes looking on themselves as merely designated by Providence to govern three branches of the One family, namely, Austria, Prussia, and Russia.”
The representatives at the Congress of Vienna, including Prince Metternich of Austria, who were supposed to restore Europe after Napoleon, were mostly the wealthy ruling classes that naturally wanted to reinstate the old order. They accused the middle classes of disrupting society.
“It is principally the middle classes of society who have been infected by this moral gangrene and it is only amongst them that are found the true, prime movers of this theory.”
“[The middle class] applies itself to persuading Kings that their rights are limited to sitting on a throne while the right to govern and to attack the centuries-old heritage of all that is sacred and positive with regard to man, in sum, to deny the values of the past and to declare themselves masters of creation of the future, is reserved to their class.”
Metternich and many other people who agreed with his creed promoted the reinstatement of monarchies in Europe because they were all members of the ruling class, and argued that although very many people did not support the old order any more, the delegates at the Congress of Vienna believed that change should not occur in times of turmoil, and thus executed their own agenda over the desires of the population.
“There is a rule of conduct common to individuals and to States, which has been acquired through the experience of centuries and of daily life and which teaches us that "reform ought not to be considered in the midst of passionate agitation; wisdom dictates that at such moments one should do no more than maintain the status quo.
Let Monarchs adopt this principle vigorously, let all their resolutions bear its mark. Let their actions, their measures and even their words proclaim it and prove before the world their determination; they will find allies everywhere. By establishing the principle of stability Governments in no way exclude the development of what is for the good, since stability does not mean immobility. But it is up to those who are charged with the heavy task of governing to increase the well-being of the people! It is up to Governments to control the means of achieving this, depending on need and the times. It is not by means of concessions, which the factions mean to impose on the legitimate power but which they have neither the right to demand nor the faculty of containing within just limits, that wise reforms can be achieved! Let everything possible be done for the good – such is our most ardent wish – but do not let what is not for the good be confused with what is, and let what is genuinely for the good only be undertaken by those who legally unite the due authority and the means of action.”
The Congress of Vienna also saw the founding of what was known as the Holy Alliance between Austria, Russia, and Prussia. G The creation of the Holy Alliance happened at the same time as the so-called Principle of Intervention and Principle of Legitimacy, which were also expressed in the treaty. These dictated, respectively, that the Great Powers could enter each other’s lands in order to help repress rebellions, and also that the noble ruling families alone had the right to govern those nations.
“Their Majesties the Emperor of Austria, the King of Prussia, and the Emperor of Russia, having, in consequence of the great events which have marked the course of the three last years in Europe... will remain united by the bonds of a true and indissoluble fraternity, and considering each other as fellow countrymen, they will, on all occasions and in all places, lend each other aid and assistance.”
“The sole principle of force, whether between the said governments or between their Subjects, shall be that of doing one another reciprocal service, ... the three allied princes looking on themselves as merely designated by Providence to govern three branches of the One family, namely, Austria, Prussia, and Russia.”