Metternich System: Metternich’s fame chiefly rests on his master plan to stamp out the New Born Ideas of the French Revolution from Europe. He Danger of the imposed his plan so thoroughly that it is known as New Ideas. Metternich System. Historians debate over the question whether Metternich at all had any system or not. Robert Kann has pointed out that the true “Metternich system” is misleading. He had no particular policy to apply everywhere. He was flexible in his policy and adjusted it according to needs. If he had any principie, that was the principle of conservatism and keeping the status quo. But he did not apply this principle in set pattern everywhere. Any how Metternich’s principle and belief cannot be isolated from his policy. Metternich, the lynx eyed diplomat was well aware that the French Revolution had let loose a wave of unrest in Europe. Art and literature had been transformed under the new ideas. Political and social beliefs had been deeply affected. The intellectuals and the middle class of Europe became the messengers of the new ideas. The Old Order of Europe based on monarchical, feudalistic and aristocratic order of society and Catholic religion was subverted by these ideas. The rising generation of middle class had rejected these values. They up-held new ideas of social equality, constitutional monarchy, national state, liberty of individual and freedom of thought etc. which they inhereted from the French Revolution: Metternich declared these new ideas of the middle class as forces of evil and destructive to civilisation. He believed that the middle class preached these new ideas only to dislodge the aristocracy from power. Metternich dreaded that if the new ideas became triumphant, the peace326 A HISTORY OF EUROPE and order of Europe would perish. Metternich had thedirm conviction that the basis of any society was equilibrium. There existed Philosophy of such an equilibrium in each state where. the aristocracy Metiemich ruled the country. It was a class existing between the system. throne above and the people below. It was the right class to defend social order against destructive forces. He held that only order brings equilibrium. But the rising bourgeois was out to destroy that aristocratic order. Their principle was “Get out of there, so that we can take your place.” Metternich asked, how can society survive without a monarch and aristocratic order? The bourgeois had nothing but love for profit, how could they lead the society? The common people were nonentity. Third Estate should not have any role to play in the governing of a state. It is the aristocracy which can selflessly serve the people and govern the state. | Metternich also argued that if in every state there was an equilibrium based on monarchy and aristocracy, in international sphere there was also onal an equilibrium. No individual state or country could do ispert of anything which would harm others. The French Revolu- revolutionary tion was not merely a question of France but that of whole ideas. Europe, as the latter had to suffer from its impact. Hence there were matters above national question which no nation could individually decide. The threat of revolutionary wave sought to overwhelm Europe and was no national question. No nation could individually welcome it. It was an epidemic travelling from country to country. It was a hydra- headed monster seeking to devour Europe and the . old aristocratic order. They were forces against civilisa- ee tion. Metternich pointed out that liberalism was an iterien offshoot of English theory of constitutional monarchy and bourgeois English parliament. But English constitutional- ism was the work of a century. The European liberals wanted to establish the same overnight, by violent revolts.' They forgot that European condition was different from that of England. Although Metternich read Voltaire and books on natural science, although he listened to the great music of Beethoven and the songs of Policy of starus Schubert, although: he read the novels of Scot and the aio. : poems of Byron, the new ideas in them did not influence his thought.! He was singularly rigid in his ideas. He said that since the new ideas were destructive forces reason demanded that the Old order of Europe should be preserved without any change whatsoever. “Keep the thing as it is” (Quieta non mouvere) was his motto. No reform was to be granted because reform meant change. The Vienna System of 1815, was an ideal one to Metternich. This system restored Europe to its * pre-revolutionary monarchical and aristocratic basis, Wherever revolts appeared against the system of 1815 that had to be suppressed for the sake of European peace and stability! Metternich did not believe in people’s right of changing government. As the monarch ruled by divine right, people had no legitimate right to deprive the king of his power-_! ee 1. Metternich’s—Confession of Faith 1820. Quoted by Peter Viereck, P. 71.‘THE ERA OF METTERNICH 327 The questions may then be asked why did Metternich propagate conservatism outside Austria? Metternich believed that the revolutionary ideas were international forces needing prevention at International international level. Mere i fdges-i aspect of intern! ea suppression of these ideas in Metternich Austria could not save his country from catching the system contagion from outside. There was national frontier known to the revolutionary ideas. Hence a vigilance on Europe was necessary. If the Austrian empire was to be kept then Austria should guard against any challenge to it. Seaman (Vienna to Versaillas) has pointed out that Metternich’s chief concern was to prevent any out-break of a big war in Europe. He feared that under the unsettling, fluid situation in the wartime society, the new born ideas would multiply, and spread without any restraint. Hence his main object was to keep European peace, protect the status quo of 1815. He built the Concert of Europe to fulfil his goal of keeping status quo undisturbed and_protect European peace by collective efforts: of big powe: { The origin of the Metternich system can be found in the condition of the Austro-Hungarian empire. “Austria was not a nation but a monarchical machine.” It was a conglomeration of diverse people like Condition of | the Germans, Czechs, Magyars; Croats, Ruthens, Poles growth of and Italians. If the new ideas of nationalism and liberalism Metternich were allowed to operate, then the empire would disinte- system grate into pieces. It was this internal disharmony of the Hapsburg Empire that compelled Metternich to adopt a policy of blind conservatism. Metternich wanted to make Austria a model conservative state in Europe. Emperor Francis of Austria was equally conservative like his Austrian policy ‘Mfetternich, the Austrian Chancellor remarked, “As for policy Austria has none.” Prevention of liberal ideas was the keynote of Metternich’s_policy in Austria. “Govern and change nothing” was his motto. Metternich believed that reforms and concessions by a government. would reduce its authority... “Austria became a classic land of old regime.” All progressive movements in the country were banned. Free parliament, free press, free universities were banned. Liberal students were gaoled and liberal professors were dismissed. Spies were employed everywhere including the lecture halls of colleges. Professors and students were subjected to humiliating regulations. Text books were prescribed by the government. History and political science were excluded from the syllabus. Foreign scholars were prevented Austrian Conservatism, Permitted to study in foreign universities lest they might be infected with the new ideas. Students had to attend 1. When Francis was shown the draft of speech, he was to deliver to the army, he struck out the word “Fatherland” from it and replaced it by “My state” and “My people.” Francis said “when my Estates go too far, I snap my finger at them and send them home.” minister and gave him full co-operation in this respect. from teaching in Austria. Austrian students were* not -328 A HISTORY OF EUROPE churches and submit confession papers before they could seat for any public examination. In short, freedom of thought ceased to exist in Austria, Scientific and rationalist spirit vanished from the Austrian universities. Intellectual stagnation prevailed.) \ To check incipient nationalism among the people of Austria, Metternich -d the patriotic nationalists. He followed a policy. of divide and rule uivenibe. among the various nations by policing one with the other, . Hungary was policed by Croatians, German Austria by the Czechs, Bohemia by the Germans; Italy by the Hungarians and Poland by the Italians. To prevent the infiltration of revolutionary ideas from abroad, he established intellectual censorship which checked every printing material entering Austria from outside.! Catholic police checked the infiltration of political literature from the West. Everything suspect was censored. “Only music escaped the interference”. | The Catholic church was upheld in all walks of life. “The Catholic priest . kept the conscience and shaped the mind.”? Catholic Comoleer teachers taught in the eehoobs, _Marx observed that every old established authority in Austria was upheld Support of by Metternich. He knew that these were pillars of his vested interests, CServative system. Hence he supported the authority of the landlord over petty tenant farmer, that of the manufacturer over operative, shopkeeper over the customer.? Imagination, initiative and enlightenment among the Austrian officials were discouraged. Jack Droz has pointed out that Metternich transferred sisgaition power in the hands of under paid, low quality bureaucracy : who took particular interest in repression. They were asked to preserve the status quo and not to show any ingenuity. The police ‘was organised by count Selnitzky. Even popular and successful generals of the army were distrusted. Industry and commerce were left to languish lest its advance might disturb the feudal and aristocratic order of the society.* \ Metternich feared that progress of trade and.industry might lead to the emergence of the bourgeois class. He favoured feudal and agrarian economy of Austria.” While there was an under-current of repression on the lower level of the society, the upper strata of Austrian society lived a gay life. Any visitor to ‘ Vienna was struck by the romantic, Biedermier charming Biedermler A8°- Jife of the Vienna people. The opera halls were full of gay spectators; the songs of Schubert reflected Vienese taste. Jack Droz has pointed out that Vienna presented a character of Cultural Sybaries, Vienna, danced, smiled and sang and was full of fun. Under that iceburg of fun and festivity flowed a river of blood and tears. \ Metternich knew that the best protection for Austria was to extend his system to other countries. His main object was to keep Germany weak and 1, Hayes. P. 607. 2. Fisher. P. 930. 3. Marx and Engels—Historical Writings. 4. Pollard—Cambridge Modern History. Vol. X.THE ERA OF METTERNICH 329 © divided and suppress German nationalism. When the German nationalists Stein submitted a plan of German unification in the Vienna congress, Metternich rejected it. He was mainly responsible for dividing Germany in 38 kingdoms and defeating German nationalism. He laboured to impose it on Germany. He mobilized the Germanic Bund (over which Austria presided) to execute his plan. The Bund was virtually converted into a department of Austrian foreign office. . Metternich took special care to keep article XIII of the constitution of the Bund inoperative. By this article, a promise was given to grant liberal constitution to the German people. Metternich persuaded most of the German princes not to implement this article. Even the Prussian king was influenced by Metternich to defer the fulfilment of his promise. _ (The German liberal students organised the Wartburg festival and burnt the effigy of Metternich. The conservative journalist Kotzbue was mur- dered. An organisation of patriotic students called Burs- ee cheuschaft was formed. Metternich sensed danger at these developments. He summoned the meeting of the Bund and magnified before the princes the danger of revolution. The Bund passed the Carlsbad Decree in 1819. By virtue of the Decree student unions in the German universities were dissolved. Inspectors were employed to supervise the work of the professors and the students. Liberal students were jailed. A central committee was established at Mainz to censor the press and public opinion. So complete was Metternich’s hold on Germany that when the. July Revolution occurred in France, it could not make much progress in Germany.’ Yet, Metternich did not take any risk. He got the Bund pass the Six Acts in 1830 in addition to the Carlsbad Decree.’ As Italy formed an integral part of the Austrian imperial system, so Metternich was equally eager to impose his system on this country. Metternich could exercise his influence directly in the provinces of - ; Lombardy and Venetia which formed: part of Austrian Italian policy. empire. He brought the other parts of Italy under his system by influencing the Hapsburg princes of Central Italy and the Bourbon king of South Italy and by the help of his secret police. Metternich’s secret police imposed an iron handed repression in Lombardy, Venetia and the Hapsburg kingdom. Metternich made it a settled policy to appoint slav officials to govern Austrian Italy. These slav officials were culturally and nationally alien to Romanised Catholic Italy. They had no sympathy for Italian nationalism. Metternich made it a point to erase the Napoleonic municipal reform and the Code’ Napoleon from Italy. Everywhere secret police worked. The press was nuzzled, regeonalism and other reactionary forces were patronised. In Austrian Poland, Metternich’s control was complete. The Polish landed nobility resented Austrian Polish policy, domination on them. In 1830 and again in 1846 the Polish intellectuals and Polish nobility revolted against Austria in German Policy. 1. D. Thomson, P; 112.330 A HISTORY OF EUROPE Galicia. Metternich incited the. Galician peasants to rise against the native nobility and with their help he ruthlessly suppressed the Polish nationalist rising. : Metternich’s system became European system at least for some time. He believed that Austria’s security did lay in the preservance of European conservatism. In his European policy, .Metternich contended that internal and international affairs were inseparable.’ Revolution did not know any national frontier. In order to combat the threat of revolution, he too wanted to make his conservative system an European system. Metternich had a premonition that the new born forces of liberalism, democracy and nationalism might again over- whelm Europe. If these forces triumphed in any country, rest of Europe including Austria could not be saved from its impact and contagion. Hence in order to stamp out these incipient forces arid protect the status quo of the Vienna system, Metternich utilised the Concert of Europe. The Concert was mainly formed to fight against French revolutionary aggression. But Metternich converted the Concert as a repressive machine seeking eradication of liberalism and nationalism anywhere in Europe. In the execution of his plans Metternich faced opposition from Castlereagh of England. Metternich rallied round the conservative rulers of Russia and Prussia under him against England. In the Congress of Troppau 1820, he got the Protocol of Troppau passed by a majority vote of Austria, Prussia and Russia inspite of England’s opposition. The Protocol authorised the Concert to suppress liberal and nationalist revolt in Europe. Metternich remorselessly executed his plan of suppressing liberal revolts. The Congress of Laibach authorised the Austrian Army to Intervention in suppress the Neapolitan revolt. It also intervened in Italy and Spain. Piedmont and suppressed its liberal constitution. Metter- nich established Austrian leadership in Italy by bringing the Pope, the Hapsburg princes of Central Italy and the Bourbon king of Naples and Sicily under Austrian protection and guidance. Metternich was unsparing to a liberal revolt in the Spanish peninsula. He authorised the Bourbon government of France to send its army to Spain to suppress the Spanish revolt. Estimate of Metternich’s Policy and causes of his failure : Metternich was a “Frienchified” German dandy. He was by birth a Rhinelander and by choice an Austrian minister. The association of his name with a conservative system which retarded the constitu- tional progress of Europe for a generation makes it difficult to form a balanced opinion of his statesmanship. Metternich was witty, intelligent, a good conservationalist. He had a handsome appearance which was augmented by his sartorial grace. He had a capacity of handling intricate questions with relative ease. He possessed a natural talent for European Policy. Personal qualities. 1. D. Thomson P. 114, For a different view see Peter Viereek—Conservatism. See also Metternich’s estimate in the next section.