Page 141 - Encyclopedia Of World History Vol IV

1442 berkshire encyclopedia of world history

University students
in Xian, China, flash
the peace sign in
1989 following the
Tiananmen Square
protests in Beijing.

With its fundamentally re-
actionary stance toward the Rev-
olution,the Congress of Vienna,
under the leadership of Met-
ternich, adopted a pragmatic
approach to the peacemaking
process. France was included
in the negotiations, the French
monarchy was restored but
contained by a written consti-
tution, and to limit the risk of
the introduction of mass armies transformed the basis of antagonizing the French population, the country was
peacemaking. By marching on Europe, the Napoleonic allowed to keep its 1789 borders.As a way of controlling
armies seemed like an irresistible force challenging the France, which had come out of the Congress of Vienna
structures of the ancient regime.The conquest of Europe still a major world power, Alexander I, Holy Roman
by French armies risked making France the dominating emperor Francis II, and Frederick William IV of Prussia
power, putting Britain in league with Austria, and leav- devised the Holy Alliance. Aimed at ensuring the Euro-
ing Prussia and Russia to defeat Bonaparte. pean status quo, it was shunned by Britain, which con-
The resulting peacemaking agreement was similar to sidered it too intrusive and conservative. Its first article
the established diplomatic tradition of the Westphalian read as follows:
system. The Vienna settlement established Austria, Brit-
In conformity with the words of the Holy Scripture which
ain, and Russia as the dominant European powers.When
ordain that all men should regard themselves as brothers
the victorious states met in Vienna in September 1814,
the three contracting monarchs will live united by the
the fundamental change behind the peacemaking process bonds of an indissoluble fraternity, and considering them-
was the will of Austria, Britain, and Russia to keep France selves as compatriots will in all cases lend one another
from regaining its capacity to transform the European assistance, aid and help; regarding themselves in relation
balance of power. Napoleon’s “hundred days”—when he to their subjects and armies as fathers of families, they will
returned from captivity on the isle of Elba in 1814 and direct them in the same spirit of fraternity by which they
led his troops to a final stand at Waterloo—confirmed are animated in order to protect religion, peace and justice.
the need for a diplomatic system capable of ensuring the (Simpson and Jones 2000, 94)
continuation of the new balance of power. The main achievement of the Vienna system was to
Given that the aim of the major powers’ representa- introduce a framework for the collaboration of the vic-
tives (Czar Alexander I of Russia, Klemens von Metter- torious powers to ensure the preservation of the Euro-
nich, foreign minister of Austria, and Robert Stewart pean status quo. The result was the congress system, by
Castlereagh, Britain’s foreign minister) was to restore the which Austria, Britain, France, Prussia, and Russia met to
ancien regime and limit the impact of the French Revo- respond to and consult with each other on various inter-
lution on Europe’s political system and social values, national crises that threatened the balance of power cre-
they understood the need to build a diplomatic system ated in Vienna. Although conservative by nature, the
capable of keeping at bay the impact of the Revolution. Vienna peace settlement and the congress system that it