who favoured and who opposed the political changes in the german confederation between 1815 and 1848
During the congress of Vienna it was obvious that Germany was not being a coherent political nation. Numerous changes such as the diet and the domination of Vienna encouraged the creation of three different groups: nationalists, liberalists and radicals who all favoured a future political change: harmony in the German confederation and in the overthrowing of the Austrian domination. Despite this fact many countries such as France, Austria and Prussia were against any changes that could reduce their power. Consequently Metternich tried in every way possible to throw down nationalism endorsing a system of tyranny it was called: “Metternich System”. In addition, the member of the German aristocracy community were afraid of German unification because it would lessen their power. The catholic church was another power that did not like the idea of German unification because it could of spread protestanism through out the world. The nationalism emerged in Germany because of the war resistance to napoleon. Germans realised that they had so much in common as the language, history traditions and the hate towards the French people. This initiated them to start asking for a political change. There patriotism was shown bu the composition of famous German s song such as: Deutschland uber Alles. After the French threatened them to take German land next to the river Rhine. Famous artist as Mozart claimed that the German language opera s should prevail different countries to influence their own tradition. Herder, Hemel and Mozart were aiming at spreading nationalism through art. Hegel said that the idea of loyalty to the state was one of the highest form of services and that the modern nation state was the highest form of human activity. Moreover, herder on the day of today is seen as one of the most noted nationalist. He argued that a nation had a unique culture and said that: one nation is one extend family, with one character. Herder s idea suggested the demand for unity of Germany. When his ideas were spreading, a feelling of nationalism was felt within Germany and in other countries such as Poland, Russia and Greece
University students were also a group considered as being nationalist who favoured poitical changes to occur in Germany. In 1817 a group of student from the university of Jena organised a meeting to remember the five hundreds anniversary of Luther’s “Ninety Five Theses”, and as well as the fifth anniversary of the battle of the nations which when napoleon was expelled from German territory. These action showed the rejection of being ruled by another nation. Additionally, there were 14 groups in the German confederation which was tried to be united by the student into one organisation. All the nationalist was constitute by a group of people who favoured political change within the German confederation.
The liberalist movement in the nation emerged such as the nationalism in Germany. The liberal party was constitute in Germany by mostly intellectuals, lower government, men of letters, professors and lawyer. These men were asking for more unity through the nation and to have greater political liberty in the German confederation. However they were arguing that this was only possible to be done in a bigger political body. Even if their action of liberatism were mostly correct. How effective were their acts to finally achieve unity?
But their was sadly a very little unity between all of the liberals groups. Every one was asking for different things that would of helped their position to have a grater political representation through Germany. Others were afraid of what would have been the reaction of the masses if they had stronger power in the government. As a result they preferred to keep the aristocracy to lead the country. However not many people were willing to have a universal suffrage founded. The liberal
