"The breakdown of the Concert of Europe was largely due to the increasing difference among the Powers over the issue of how peace could be maintained."
During the post-Napoleonic Era, countries began to seek ways to maintain the balance of power among Europe. Thus, they called on cooperation and created a good start of the Concert of Europe---the collaboration of countries. However, by 1823, failure loomed and the Concert of Europe began to collapse. What were the reasons behind? Was it mainly because of the increasing difference among them over the issue of maintaining peace? To a small extent, however, this was not the main one.
To a large extent, the self-interests and jealousies between countries induced the collapse of the Concert of Europe. Different countries had various thoughts and desire for their interests. Due to the diversified notions of how to obtain their goals, disagreements and increasing difference soon arose between them and further hampered the cooperation.
Different countries had their different kind of thoughts and concern about interests. Britain wanted to preserve her maritime supremacy and trade route, as well as the balance of power. She and France hoped to stop the expansion of other powers to keep themselves as well as the whole Europe safe. Austria together with Prussia desired for international cooperation for suppressing new ideas and maintaining peace, while Russia wished to have expansion in the Balkans.
Some examples during the Concert of Europe could certainly demonstrate it. In the Congress of Aix-la-Chapelle, Russia proposed sending troops to help Ferdinand VII of Spain against his rebellious South American colonies in which wanted freedom. However, Britain was opposed to it unless her interests in those colonies were safeguarded beforehand. This could reveal the self-interest of Britain though during the work of maintaining peace and preventing revolutions or new ideas spread there. Such thoughts of guaranteeing self-centered ideas could then induce difference between countries and even the collapse of the Concert of Europe.
The Congress of Troppau can also be taken as an
To a large extent, the self-interests and jealousies between countries induced the collapse of the Concert of Europe. Different countries had various thoughts and desire for their interests. Due to the diversified notions of how to obtain their goals, disagreements and increasing difference soon arose between them and further hampered the cooperation.
Different countries had their different kind of thoughts and concern about interests. Britain wanted to preserve her maritime supremacy and trade route, as well as the balance of power. She and France hoped to stop the expansion of other powers to keep themselves as well as the whole Europe safe. Austria together with Prussia desired for international cooperation for suppressing new ideas and maintaining peace, while Russia wished to have expansion in the Balkans.
Some examples during the Concert of Europe could certainly demonstrate it. In the Congress of Aix-la-Chapelle, Russia proposed sending troops to help Ferdinand VII of Spain against his rebellious South American colonies in which wanted freedom. However, Britain was opposed to it unless her interests in those colonies were safeguarded beforehand. This could reveal the self-interest of Britain though during the work of maintaining peace and preventing revolutions or new ideas spread there. Such thoughts of guaranteeing self-centered ideas could then induce difference between countries and even the collapse of the Concert of Europe.
The Congress of Troppau can also be taken as an