Western History 163: What were the Revolutions that broke out in France and Germany in 1848?

1848 surpassed 1830 as the year of revolutions. In fact this infamous year is also known as the Springtime of the Peoples. Social and political upheaval impacted most of Western Europe with the exception of Spain, Portugal and Greece. Much of this unrest was driven by the forces of liberalism, nationalism and socialism.

Full Map of the Springtime of the People Revolution source: Inquiries Journal

In France the constitutional monarchy of Louis-Philippe  I was overthrown in  February 1848 and finally replaced following two successive revolution in the same year, by what would eventually become the Second Republic (it would last from 1848-1851). Louis-Philippe had governed as a moderate and had popular support with the Bourgeoisie. However there were political undercurrents that were fermenting among the Lesser Bourgeoisie that were demanding more power sharing. In addition the radical left who included in their ranks such Revolutionary thinkers such as the socialist Louis Blanc and the anarchist Pierre-Joseph Proudhon advocated for both social and economic change and had popular support with the Artisan class.

The 1848 Revolution in France source: Historyextra

Alphonse de Lamartine, a well known poet and novelist briefly headed a Liberal Government and introduced necessary reform that included universal male suffrage and unemployment relief (via National Workshops) but the economy continued to struggle inspiring Conservative political growth. Eventually Louis Napoleon-Bonaparte (the nephew of the Great Emperor) would win the Fourth Presidential run off in December 1848 defeating Eugene Cavignac (candidate for the Party of Order), Francois-Vincent Raspail (a champion of the working class) and Alexandre Auguste Ledru-Rollin (who represented working class interests).  Louis-Napoleon didn’t govern for very long along democratically with the Republic transitioning into the Second Empire in 1852 and Louis-Napoleon taking the title Napoleon III in 1852.

Revolutions engulfed the German states in March 1848 with students demanding German unity, freedom of the Press and freedom of assembly. The political anger was firmly directed against the myriad of states in the German Confederation that were run by Aristocratic elites. There was some initial success earlier on with the Prussian King, Frederick Wilhem IV,  agreeing to Revolutionary demands. Baden, Saxony and the Palatine were particular regions that were engulfed by Revolutionary activity. Soon afterwards a National Assembly (largely filled with intellectuals) was called in Frankfurt to represent a unified Germany.  Frederick Wilhelm IV was offered the crown as Emperor of a United Germany but turned it down. He did not in his own words want a crown from the “gutter” that had the “disgraced stink of revolution, defiled with blood and mud”

Revolution in Germany (the Modern German Flag has its origins here) source: Max-Planck Institute

Soon afterwards the Revolution went into disarray and the lack of cohesion between various revolutionary movements was easily exploited by the ruling establishment who crushed further development  forcing its proponents  of the Revolution (the so-called Forty-Eighters) to flee into exile. 

Nevertheless the drive for German Unification had been very much rekindled and would play a vital role in German history for the remainder of the century.