How far do you agree that the failures of the revolutions 1830 and 1848-49 was primarily due to
lack of popular support
POPULAR SUPPORT
• Revolutionary opposition groups, forced by repressive policies to organise in secret, failed to
establish enough popular support before the outbreaks to sustain the revolutionary momentum
• Middle-class revolutionary leaders failed to harness the potential of the ‘ordinary’ people; the
fear of popular radicalism and revolution ‘from below’ undermined the 1830–31 revolutions
• The labouring classes, particularly the peasantry, often failed to support the revolutions due to
suspicion of the liberal middle-classes and in some cases welcomed back traditional rulers,
e.g. the Papal States
• Mazzini - Although Italian nationalism championed unity it failed to inspire the mass support
required to challenge the restored order in Italy, e.g. Mazzini’s Young Italy movement failed to
inspire much of the peasantry in 1848–49 and acknowledge their economic misfortunes
which hindered support
• Peasantry unwilling to support inspired uprisings due to its narrow social base
• Pope - During the 1848–49 revolutions, the Papal Allocution subverted Charles Albert’s
attempt to harness popular nationalism in the First Italian War ofIndependence - Durangos
attempt to go to war with Austria was unpopular and helped lead to the failure
• Many of 1848–49 revolutions did have an element of popular support, e.g. peasant support
for Sicilian independence, growing enthusiasm for Charles Albert in Piedmont, support for
Mazzini in Rome and Manin in Venice
LOCALISED
• Most of the revolutionary outbreaks were localised with local aims, e.g. Modena refused help
to the Papal States 1830–32, Mazzinian revolutions 1848–48
• As a result of the spontaneous outbreak of revolution in both 1830 and 1848, the
revolutionaries were often disorganised, ill-prepared and generally ill-equipped
• Lacked a shared view on how and what unified Italy should be
• Divisions between the north and south - south overwhelmingly rural while orth beginning to
industrialise - left key divisions D’Azeglio even claiming unity with the south would be like
‘going to bed wit someone with smallpox’
INTERNATIONAL POWERS
• Lack of foreign support e.g. failure of the French to support the 1830–32 revolutions and
their active support for the return of the Papacy in 1848 (despite d’Azeglio’s writings’)
• Austria -The use of military force in support of the traditional rulers by Austria, primarily
Austrian troops which restored old refractionary ruler
• Troppau protocol ensured the they lacked necessary foreign support as powers had the right
to intervene to crush any revolution and give obligatory assistance to rulers
How far do you agree the strength of Austrian opposition was the principal reason for the slow
progress made in the years 1830-1848?
AUSTRIAN OPPOSITION
• Troppau protocol allowed Austria to intervene - Austria restored refractory ruler after
revolution
• Austrian intervention - General Radetzkys strong army against Charles Albert - general
strength of Austrian army
• Austria defeat Piedmont heavily at Custoza and Novara in the first war of independence
LACK OF SUPPORT
• Troppau protocol allowed other countries to step in
• Failed to gain foreign support to counteract the impact of Austria, little interest in major powers
to intervene
• Pope refused to support - papal allocation demonstrated his direct opposition - did not want to
go against catholic Austria or France
• Refused to be leader of Italian confederation
• France defeated Garibaldi's army and french tops remained in Rome - 20,000 French entered
Rome and defeated Garibaldis 4000 army
LOCALISED
• Aims - 1830s revolutions were demanding for liberty rather than national
• Most involved attempts to change things (namely the constitution) but only within individual
states rather than across Italy
lack of popular support
POPULAR SUPPORT
• Revolutionary opposition groups, forced by repressive policies to organise in secret, failed to
establish enough popular support before the outbreaks to sustain the revolutionary momentum
• Middle-class revolutionary leaders failed to harness the potential of the ‘ordinary’ people; the
fear of popular radicalism and revolution ‘from below’ undermined the 1830–31 revolutions
• The labouring classes, particularly the peasantry, often failed to support the revolutions due to
suspicion of the liberal middle-classes and in some cases welcomed back traditional rulers,
e.g. the Papal States
• Mazzini - Although Italian nationalism championed unity it failed to inspire the mass support
required to challenge the restored order in Italy, e.g. Mazzini’s Young Italy movement failed to
inspire much of the peasantry in 1848–49 and acknowledge their economic misfortunes
which hindered support
• Peasantry unwilling to support inspired uprisings due to its narrow social base
• Pope - During the 1848–49 revolutions, the Papal Allocution subverted Charles Albert’s
attempt to harness popular nationalism in the First Italian War ofIndependence - Durangos
attempt to go to war with Austria was unpopular and helped lead to the failure
• Many of 1848–49 revolutions did have an element of popular support, e.g. peasant support
for Sicilian independence, growing enthusiasm for Charles Albert in Piedmont, support for
Mazzini in Rome and Manin in Venice
LOCALISED
• Most of the revolutionary outbreaks were localised with local aims, e.g. Modena refused help
to the Papal States 1830–32, Mazzinian revolutions 1848–48
• As a result of the spontaneous outbreak of revolution in both 1830 and 1848, the
revolutionaries were often disorganised, ill-prepared and generally ill-equipped
• Lacked a shared view on how and what unified Italy should be
• Divisions between the north and south - south overwhelmingly rural while orth beginning to
industrialise - left key divisions D’Azeglio even claiming unity with the south would be like
‘going to bed wit someone with smallpox’
INTERNATIONAL POWERS
• Lack of foreign support e.g. failure of the French to support the 1830–32 revolutions and
their active support for the return of the Papacy in 1848 (despite d’Azeglio’s writings’)
• Austria -The use of military force in support of the traditional rulers by Austria, primarily
Austrian troops which restored old refractionary ruler
• Troppau protocol ensured the they lacked necessary foreign support as powers had the right
to intervene to crush any revolution and give obligatory assistance to rulers
How far do you agree the strength of Austrian opposition was the principal reason for the slow
progress made in the years 1830-1848?
AUSTRIAN OPPOSITION
• Troppau protocol allowed Austria to intervene - Austria restored refractory ruler after
revolution
• Austrian intervention - General Radetzkys strong army against Charles Albert - general
strength of Austrian army
• Austria defeat Piedmont heavily at Custoza and Novara in the first war of independence
LACK OF SUPPORT
• Troppau protocol allowed other countries to step in
• Failed to gain foreign support to counteract the impact of Austria, little interest in major powers
to intervene
• Pope refused to support - papal allocation demonstrated his direct opposition - did not want to
go against catholic Austria or France
• Refused to be leader of Italian confederation
• France defeated Garibaldi's army and french tops remained in Rome - 20,000 French entered
Rome and defeated Garibaldis 4000 army
LOCALISED
• Aims - 1830s revolutions were demanding for liberty rather than national
• Most involved attempts to change things (namely the constitution) but only within individual
states rather than across Italy
