What were the achievements of the 1848 Revolution and why did it fail?
The revolutionaries of 1848 had varied aims, largely based upon their own social classes. The working classes had very simple and practical aims, largely based upon improving their own working conditions, asking for higher employment levels and greater wages. However the middle classes, the self-appointed leaders of the revolution, had more ambitious aims, fighting for the unification of Germany and constitutional monarchies. Many of these more ambitious aims were not to be achieved until much later, as ultimately the revolution failed, but what did they manage to achieve, and why did the revolution fail?
Across the German states active revolution was fairly minor, isolated to Berlin, Rhineland, Silesia, Baden and some small peasant uprisings in the south-west. The Prussian army was able to sweep through the northern areas and quickly silenced all opposition; King Frederick-William also declared martial law and dissolved the Prussian Parliament. This made it nearly impossible for the sparks of revolution to once again ignite, and so such feelings were suppressed. In Austria similar tactics were followed but to a greater extreme, as 2000 people were killed in the struggle to regain control, Metternich later returned in order to provide advice to the new and impressionable 18 year old Emperor Franz Joseph. This would again reinforce the strong conservative ideals present in Austria. From this it can be seen that the strength of the ruling classes and the use of their military were able to cease the revolution, therefore leading to its failure.
As mentioned earlier there was a social divide between the revolutionaries, and with that a split in objectives. The middle class appointed themselves as the leaders of the revolution, using it in order to seize power as otherwise, due to lack of a meritocracy there would be no other way of doing this. However the working classes, who made up the bulk of the revolutionary force, had no such interests, and solely fought for
Across the German states active revolution was fairly minor, isolated to Berlin, Rhineland, Silesia, Baden and some small peasant uprisings in the south-west. The Prussian army was able to sweep through the northern areas and quickly silenced all opposition; King Frederick-William also declared martial law and dissolved the Prussian Parliament. This made it nearly impossible for the sparks of revolution to once again ignite, and so such feelings were suppressed. In Austria similar tactics were followed but to a greater extreme, as 2000 people were killed in the struggle to regain control, Metternich later returned in order to provide advice to the new and impressionable 18 year old Emperor Franz Joseph. This would again reinforce the strong conservative ideals present in Austria. From this it can be seen that the strength of the ruling classes and the use of their military were able to cease the revolution, therefore leading to its failure.
As mentioned earlier there was a social divide between the revolutionaries, and with that a split in objectives. The middle class appointed themselves as the leaders of the revolution, using it in order to seize power as otherwise, due to lack of a meritocracy there would be no other way of doing this. However the working classes, who made up the bulk of the revolutionary force, had no such interests, and solely fought for