19th Century American Liberalism Research Paper
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History 117 – Final Exam Two
Professor JKW
May 23, 2013
The Demise of European Liberalism in the Nineteenth Century
Word Count: 1,692 (excludes footnotes and works cited)
During the long nineteenth century, liberalism gained increasing support and popularity as an alternative to the political doctrines of conservatism, socialism, and communism. European liberals subscribed to diverse political ideologies and methods of governance; however, they all shared common threads of liberal thought: individual liberty and equality under the law, support of private property and individual rights, and the idea of limited government.1 Liberals often espoused commitment to progressive and egalitarian ideals, …show more content…
After the failed revolutions of 1848, the struggle between liberal ideology and religious doctrine became an increasingly problematic and hostile issue. For German liberals, anti-Catholicism was not a mere expression of liberal doctrine, it was an integral facet of liberal identity. In an effort to “break the neck of Catholicism,” liberals battled against Jesuitism, monasticism, clericalism, and the church in order to “save the empire from its most powerful enemy.”9 Liberals saw the Catholic Church as a powerful force of traditional, conservative beliefs, opposed to modernity; while the Pope was viewed as totalitarian, and a usurper of German authority. However, the Catholic Church blamed liberalism for society’s “religious and moral erosions,”10 while ecclesiastical authorities believed people had been “blinded,” “bewildered,” and “bewitched,” by modern philosophies: materialism, rationalism, liberalism, and …show more content…
However, the resurgence of Catholicism stirred an anti-Catholic backlash driven by liberals and Protestants with fervent support from the German Chancellor, Otto von Bismarck, who was deeply committed to the success of the campaign. Although the kulterkampf 12 (cultural struggle) was intended to bring German unification, the backlash divided society along the lines of culture, class, gender, religion and politics, thereby creating division and discord in communities throughout the Empire. Liberals exploited the existing political intolerance of Catholicism while capitalizing on past prejudices to eliminate the power and presence of the church in the German
History 117 – Final Exam Two
Professor JKW
May 23, 2013
The Demise of European Liberalism in the Nineteenth Century
Word Count: 1,692 (excludes footnotes and works cited)
During the long nineteenth century, liberalism gained increasing support and popularity as an alternative to the political doctrines of conservatism, socialism, and communism. European liberals subscribed to diverse political ideologies and methods of governance; however, they all shared common threads of liberal thought: individual liberty and equality under the law, support of private property and individual rights, and the idea of limited government.1 Liberals often espoused commitment to progressive and egalitarian ideals, …show more content…
After the failed revolutions of 1848, the struggle between liberal ideology and religious doctrine became an increasingly problematic and hostile issue. For German liberals, anti-Catholicism was not a mere expression of liberal doctrine, it was an integral facet of liberal identity. In an effort to “break the neck of Catholicism,” liberals battled against Jesuitism, monasticism, clericalism, and the church in order to “save the empire from its most powerful enemy.”9 Liberals saw the Catholic Church as a powerful force of traditional, conservative beliefs, opposed to modernity; while the Pope was viewed as totalitarian, and a usurper of German authority. However, the Catholic Church blamed liberalism for society’s “religious and moral erosions,”10 while ecclesiastical authorities believed people had been “blinded,” “bewildered,” and “bewitched,” by modern philosophies: materialism, rationalism, liberalism, and …show more content…
However, the resurgence of Catholicism stirred an anti-Catholic backlash driven by liberals and Protestants with fervent support from the German Chancellor, Otto von Bismarck, who was deeply committed to the success of the campaign. Although the kulterkampf 12 (cultural struggle) was intended to bring German unification, the backlash divided society along the lines of culture, class, gender, religion and politics, thereby creating division and discord in communities throughout the Empire. Liberals exploited the existing political intolerance of Catholicism while capitalizing on past prejudices to eliminate the power and presence of the church in the German