7.4 Nationalism, Liberalism, Conservatism, and the Political Order

By the end of this section, you will be able to:

• Explain the causes, main ideologies, and values of nationalism, liberalism, and conservativism
• Discuss the unification of Germany and Italy in terms of nationalism
• Describe the impact of the Congress of Vienna and the career of Metternich on the balance of power in Europe

In the early nineteenth century, the upheaval of revolution gave way to political philosophies and ideologies intended to restore order and prevent the types of violent clashes that had defined much of the previous century. As belief in popular sovereignty and principles of liberty and equality spread, particularly in Europe and North America, emerging nations came to hold different ideas about the best way to safeguard these revolutionary gains. In particular, nationalism, liberalism, and conservatism became entrenched forces that, while unique, all temporarily subdued the unrest of the revolutionary period. In a radically transformed political landscape, however, revolts and revolutions eventually emerged that challenged the last remnants of the prerevolutionary status quo.