Question 11

Assess the strengths and failings of the 1815 Vienna Settlement

Paragraph One

Strengths:

• No European war until Crimea 1854

• France contained:

  • a) buffer states: Belgium/Holland, Prussia’s Rhineland provinces, Piedmont, Genoa

  • b) King Louis XVIII willing to cooperate with other powers

• The 4 Great Powers satisfied:

  • a) Great Britain with her overseas gains

  • b) Russia with Poland, Finland, Bessarabia

  • c) Austria with Italian territory

  • d) Prussia with the Rhineland Provinces

• Balance of power maintained

• The ‘Concert of Europe’ – Great Powers determined to keep the peace

• Skilful diplomacy – Metternich (Austria), Castlereagh (Great Britain), Talleyrand (France)

Paragraph Two

Failings:

• Millions of people lived under hated rulers

  • a) Belgians under the Dutch

  • b) Italians under the Austrians

  • c) Poles and Finns under the Russians

• France, Spain and Southern Italy restored to members of Bourbon family – had lost respect of their subjects and never got it back

• Vienna settlement rested ‘neither on national interests nor on popular will’ (said Cavour later) and as a result it ignored some of the most powerful forces of the time – it kept peace between states but encouraged revolutions within them:

a) 1818-21 Spain, Naples, Piedmont and German Confederation

b) 1830 Belgium, France and Poland

c) 1848 all over Europe

Paragraph Three

Historians’ opinions show that there is no single right answer:

• Late 19^th/early 20^th century historians usually agree with Cavour who was critical of the Settlement and its opposition to national freedom

• Late 20^th century historians have placed greater emphasis on the success of the Vienna peacemakers in making a peace that lasted 40 years