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HIST 202: European Civilization, 1648-1945

Lecture 11 - Why no Revolution in 1848 in Britain << previous session | next session >>

Overview:

Revolutions occur when a critical mass of people come together to make specific demands upon their government. They invariably involve an increase in popular involvement in the political process. One of the central questions concerning 1848, a year in which almost every major European nation faced a revolutionary upsurge, is why England did not have its own revolution despite the existence of social tensions. Two principal reasons account for this fact: first, the success of reformist political measures, and the existence of a non-violent Chartist movement; second, the elaboration of a British self-identity founded upon a notion of respectability. This latter process took place in opposition to Britain's cultural Other, Ireland, and its aftereffects can be seen in Anglo-Irish relations well into the twentieth century.

Reading assignment:

Merriman, John. A History of Modern Europe: From the Renaissance to the Present, pp. 670-701

Class lecture:

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