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Seminar notes Contemporary History UU (spring 2022)
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Seminars Contemporary History Week 1 - 7 (spring 2022). Notes of the seminars of Mr. Martijn Lak.
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SEMINARS CONTEMPORARY HISTORYWEEK 1 – 7
25 april – 9 june 2022
UTRECHT UNIVERSITY
COURSE CODE: GE1V21003
,WEEK 1 – 25 April & 28 April 2022
Seminar 1
scope of the articles of today; how truly global was the 1848 revolution? And whose
collective security was it?
Congress of Vienna established system of conferences
Article Beatrice
Therefore, we could argue, that on an institutional and professional level, the conferences
were the real legacy that remained from the joint coalition warfare against Napoleon
→ main argument is that there were ministers etc and conferences that ensured collective
security
Pitt argues it should be the largest players (the big 5) that organize the international system.
He cares little for the smaller states.
It planted the seed of a new, modern system of European collective security – including the
irrevocably linked imperialist surveillance of one’s own population – and increased territorial
expansion at the expense of the non-European world
concert of europe; balance of power, aims at collective security
Article Clark
How global was the revolution of 1848 according to Christopher Clark? In order to answer
this question use both Clark and the statement of the Hungarian patriot Lajos Kossuth during
his visit to the United States in 1851 to plea for financial and diplomatic support for the failing
Hungarian efforts to establish a representative type of parliament and to make the country
independent from the Austrian state; attempts which were crushed by the Austrians with the
help of the Russian Empire in 1848-1849.
Historiography
The traditional approach to the 1848 revolutions by historians was by focusing on nationalist
perspectives. So to either focus on Germany or the Netherlands. (which fits in with this time
period where there is a strong civic nationalist rhetoric). Moreover, Clark says it is not
possible to cover all case studies at the same time for historians. So a nationalist
perspective is not remarkable. He opts however that although they are unique cases, we
should still aim to look for international connections. So revolutions should be studied from a
transnational viewpoint.
Then what is the connection? → these revolutions were not born out of war, but in the minds
of the peoples. Link with de Graaf = De Graaf states that the 5 dominant powers cooperated
to protect Europe from ‘terrors’.
Results
Results were not even in all countries → “continue what had already started”. Revolutions
did not cause this, it was already happening. In other parts of the world, results were thus
modest.
Global?
So it was global because ideas could spread rapidly. (printing press). So in that sense you
could call it a global revolution.
,Nature
Different groups with different interests, reason why revolutions of 1848 failed. In the
beginning people achieved their goals, once this was achieved there were impasses
because of too much division. Case for Hungarian independence. (Because of Russia, which was
agreed upon in the Congress of Vienna)
p. 89:
“the global balance of the 1848 revolutions appears rather modest”
The revolutions were defeated too quickly to become an ordering principle in international
relations. There was no grand design or central nervous system linking them.
Link Kossuth and global character revolutions → Congress of Vienna ( anti-revolutionary)
and American Revolution. Kossuth says the Hungarian peoples are just like the Americans,
wanting the same freedoms.
Seminar 2
Explain, by using the example of the Crimean War and the related sources above, how
industrial and technological progress transformed warfare in the 19th century.
The Crimean War was a military conflict fought from October 1853 to February 1856 in which
Russia lost to an alliance of France, the Ottoman Empire, the United Kingdom and
Piedmont-Sardinia. The immediate cause of the war involved the rights of Christian minorities in
Palestine, which was part of the Ottoman Empire. The French promoted the rights of Roman
Catholics, and Russia promoted those of the Eastern Orthodox Church.
Image → cannons
Professionalization of weapons and arms leading to organized hospital systems?
First modern war? Entry of photography and heavy reporting by the media.
Florence Nightingale professionalized nursery during the Crimean War at the front. Up until
halfway the 19th century meant death, there was no sanitation or knowledge to take care of
soldiers.
Industrial revolution: developments
Several preconditions:
- more efficient agricultural production
- this in turn creates more labor surplus and more demand for manufactured goods
Key component industrial revolution: massive demand for energy to sustain industry and
transportation. First steam then electricity, and at the turn of the century, the combustion engine.
Thus essential to the industrial developments; different use of energy → coal. Much more powerful.
This leads to a much more effective use of energy.
Industrialisation and access to crucial raw materials become import factors in international
relations; more competition in international markets.
Telegraph leading to quicker communications → communication revolution
General patterns during the industrial and technological revolution returning in the Crimean War:
● Communication plays an important role during the Crimean War
● Technological innovations → telegraph leading to war reporting, rifled weapons and more
powerful high explosives. Train and steam ships enabling rapid movement of combat
troops, but also supplies and wounded soldiers. Better weapons
Crimea revolutionizes warfare. More mobile (and vulnerable)
, Did the Crimean war cause the end of the 1814 system of concert of Europe?
That depends on your point of view> if you regard Crimea as the first modern war then yes, since
three large players were involved. But, if the concert of Europe was meant to prevent war among
players, then the Crimea was not the end of the concert. But two others were not involved. So not
death of the Concert
Was it a truly modern war?
→ difference between Total War and Modern War.
Crimea was not a total war.
Cause: dispute between Russia and France over the privileges of the Russian orthodox and
Roman Catholic churches in the holy places in Palestine (holy land in the Ottoman Empire).
ARTICLE CLARK (seminar 1)
Find a central quote
Page 89
The revolutions of 1848 were not born in war. For all their cruelty, the wars sparked by the
revolutions (Denmark, Italy, southern Germany, Hungary) were counterrevolutionary police actions
that, for the most part, came to an end once “order” had been restored. They tended to shut the
revolution down, rather than to diffuse its ideology.
Main argument
How does it relate to other material (de Graaf)
Remaining questions
HISTORIOGRAPHY
Most historians have covered it from a nationalistic point of view Clark says.
It is a century of nationalism. Civil liberties were the reason for nationalism (not ethnic like: “we are
better than another country”).
Transnational revolutions according to Clark. All sorts of connections. It is a European kind of
phenomenon. Essential element of all these revolutions is to prevent Europe from terror and
revolutions (Revolutions are not born in war, but revolutions are born in mind, wanting more
liberalism, wanting more freedom). In the congress of Vienna it was agreed that they would come to
each other’s aid. To Clark it is more transnational, the only global revolution. In America and colonies
you also see a wave of revolutions. The revolution Results/outcome were not even in the countries.
His main argument is continue what already started. It was already happening in America and
colonies. In Europe it was not successful. Revolution could travel so quickly, meaning there must
have been something already brewing. Revolution of Italy, Germany have different reasons, different
groups, the common goal was not there anymore, so they rapidly fall apart. German farmers get
quickly what they want so stopped fast. Revolutions of 1848 fail due to the division between the
groups and goals. Strike for workers means no food, so they not go on strike. Conservative regimes
are taking the revolutions down. Germany and France are most important to remember.
General patterns: Some parts of the world, some revolutions are already set in motion, other
revolutions fail because not a common goal not a common enemy.
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