*Italian Unification, potential essay questions (20 marker), History, A Level
How far do you agree that the weaknesses and divisions of the nationalists were the principle reasons for the failure of the 1848 revolution in Italy?
-Charles Albert weakness (many deaths at Novara and custozza, he was too slow at advancing, he was unpopular with lombards as he was seen as a traitor to liberalism, he wanted piedmontese expansion) -divisions between nationalists (there were divisions between the two sicilies who wanted different things, most people wanted a federation but some wanted a republic, divisions over whether they wanted italian unification of piedmontese expansion, divisions over who would theoretically be leader) -french intervention (symbolised constant loyalty to pope who wasn't supportive of revolution, led to the fall of the roman republic, led to less support for mazzini)
The man who contributed the most to the creation of a united Italy was Garibaldi. Do you agree?
-Garibaldi (expansion into sicily, expansion into Naples, giving the land to Victor emmanuel) -Mazzini (young italy which was the concept of italian nationalism, the roman republic, influence of balbo and gioberti which made italian nationalism more popular) -Cavour (piedmontese expansion into lombardy, piedmontese expansion into duchies with french aid, capitalised on italian nationalism even though he didn't support it, controlled victor emmanuel, statuto)
Garibaldi's successes in Sicily and Naples were due to more favourable circumstances that exceptional generalship. Do you agree?
-Garibaldi's generalship (able to take advantage of Mazzini's revolts in Sicily with his 1000 volunteers, was more talented than Cavour as he managed to take over Naples despite Cavour's counter revolt, showed military daring when landing in Sicily and was progressive when accepting Victor Emmanuel as the King) -Foreign involvement (Austrian decline in power as evidenced by the loss of the Battle of Magenta and Solferino, good relations with France...less likely to feel threatened as Napoleon had just received Savoy and Nice, France would only have got involved if Rome was invaded) -superiority of the North (Austria only had Lombardy, Cavour's was focused on Piedmont...despite counter revolts, Sicily and Naples inevitably being far easier to overtake as they were economically weaker)
The idea behind the Risorgimento, that a glorious Italian resurgence produced unification is largely a myth. Do you agree?
-Ideas of Risorgimento (Young Italy under Mazzini virtually invented Italian nationalism and led to a rise in publications by nationalists such as Balbo who encouraged Piedmontese expansion, influential Cavour encouraged Italian nationalism to his advantage when speaking Italian in parliament, Garibaldi was an Italian Nationalist who used this ideology to gain unity) -Piedmontese expansionism (Piedmontese expansion into lombardy, piedmontese expansion into duchies with french aid, wasn't about Italian nationalism in Piedmont as focus of Cavour was always in the North as he didn't want to be dragged down by the South) -decline of Austrian power & French involvement (Napoleon III who helped unification-not an Italian Nationalist-, was very anti-Austrian and keen for an international victory putting them under threat...lost Lombardy to France 1859, the decline of Austria who only had Venetia before giving it to France, Napoleon's permission for Piedmont to annex duchies that allowed nationalism)
The Period of French Domination in Italy from 1796 to 1815 sowed the seeds for later unification. Do you agree?
-Led to the development of the middle class (napoleon benefited Italy financially so the middle class in towns grew, many young Italian men could experience gov. as a two chambered french government was introduced, idea of people being citizens of state rather than subjects of the king became normalised and some were trained in leadership of army as officers which helped in revolution) -Evidenced how reactionary the monarchs were (In piedmont Code Napoleon got rid of and 18th century laws returned, Papal states was the most backwards and repressive state with high unemployment harsh treatment of jews and economic weakness under popes, King of Naples cancelled Sicilian constitution of 1812 and wouldn't constitution demanded by radicles and liberals) -Increased Nationalism due to resentment against France (conscription of Italians into french army and high tax for the army even during peacetime, church lost power and monastery land was sold off but not to peasants but instead nobility
The new Kingdom of Italy was simply an expanded Piedmont. Do you agree?
-Statuto and laws (was because free trade was implemented across the kingdom from the Statuto, was because Piedmontese taxes now applied to everyone, was because they were all under Cavour who was PM and later Minghetti) -divisions (wasn't as there was a significant north south divide showing that the rest of Italy was not similar to Piedmont-piedmontisation had not been effective, opposition from North to South as evidenced as evidenced by legge pica and the execution of the southern brigands who attacked northerners, the lack of communication between the peasants in south and the Risorgimento's elite) -Piedmont's role in unity (was because rebels wanted victor emmanuel to be dictator, the statuto acted as an example for government, annexation of lombardy and duchies)
The Kingdom of Italy dealt inadequately with the problems faced in the period 1861-96. Do you agree?
-disunity (remained due to lack of universal language and national paper, continued divisions between north and south as Piedmontese laws and customs continued to be implemented-free market hindering south with high levels of peasants unrest-, continued divisions due to North ignoring high child mortality rates and death rates and disease in South) -the political system (monopolised by the elite so wasn't representative or progressive, good as Minghetti introduced transformismo which introduced reforms such as public health act of 1888 and was made up of a variety of moderates, bad because Depretis attempted to introduce martial law and ensured right wings were elected-v. corrupt-) -economic and social problems (dealt with the detachment of Catholics from politics due to pope's rejection of the state when mass voting was introduced, new farming in north was good with new crops such as grapes and there were fertilisers, but improved crops of north increased divisions with south which was overcrowded leading to 1 million Italians emigrating)
The revolutions of 1820-1821 and 1831-1832 largely failed because of divisions and weakness among revolutionaries. Do you agree?
-divisions (secret societies were divided over whether it should be a republic or monarchy, if there should be a confederation or centralised gov., divisions within some secret societies such as adelfi over whether they wanted Italian unification...didn't want unity with south) -austrian influence (revolt repressed in Naples in 1821 by Austria, rebels fled from piedmont in 1821 in fear of concept of Austria, in Modena in 1831 Austria invaded up Italian peninsula and revolt crushed) -monarch's influence (Ferdinand i in 1820-1 granted pepe's constitution but chaos that followed gave an excuse for Austrian intervention, Victor Emmanuel fled from Piedmont rather than grant a constitution and Charles Albert grants constitution even though he wasn't allowed, king louis Philipe of France promised to help revolutionaries but didn't because Austria told him not to)
The economic policies of Cavour were the main reason for the rise in Piedmont in the years 1848 to 1858. Do you agree?
-economic (introduced railways by increasing taxes, imports and exports almost quadrupled, industries flourished) -foreign diplomacy (made treaties with britain france austria portugal and belgium which encouraged foreign investment, got involved in crimean war which gained him respect from napoleon iii who "wanted to do something for italy", the plombieres meeting which insured french support against austria) -diplomacy at home (reduced church power and the number of holy days, made the army more democratic, piedmont was in the position where they had expanded to all of italy apart from rome)
The strength of Piedmont was the main reason why most of Italy was united by 1861. Do you agree?
-need for foreign intervention, needed to get others to fight their battles for them (napoleon achieved the annexation of lombardy, had to drive out austria to achieve unity, needed permission from napoleon to annex duchies) -piedmont was the driving force behind it (rebels wanted victor emmanuel to be dictator, the statuto acted as an example for government, annexation of lombardy and duchies) -without garibaldi in the south, unification would not have happened (he overtook sicily for a time, he overtook naples ,garibaldi handed all acquired land in the south to victor emmanuel essentially uniting italy apart from rome)
To what extent was Italy a unified country by 1870?
-unified (unified by a shared government...statuto, Piedmontisation meant that there was an extension of Piedmontese laws and taxes to all, Venetian question solved with the help of Napoleon who gave it to them, Roman question solved meaning all of Italy was united due to invasion of Italian forces after French garrison left to fight in Franco-Prussian war) -not unified (unified state that emerged from the Risorgimento was predominantly the northern elite, no communication between north and south with divisions between peasants and elite, taxes introduced to south due to piedmontisation increased divisions as it meant southerners had to pay taxes they hadn't had before that they couldn't afford-increasing tension-, led to issue of Brigands and legge pica allowing thousands of Brigands who were always southerners to be killed)
How accurate is it to say that very little progress was made in unifying Italians in the period 1820-1848?
Progress: -young italy invented by mazzini in 1831 which virtually created italian nationalism and inspired Balbo and Gioberto's ideas -the roman republic was set up in 48 -was the first time war had been declared on austria by charles albert in 48 -statuto lasts past this revolution and allows the concept of piedmontese run government 48 granted by victor emmanuel No progress: -austria overpowered all revolts in the 1820s ie. in piedmont with victor emmanuel fleeing -risorgimento was not very effective in the 1830s due to divisions which meant there couldn't be a united front against austria -pope pius ix made it difficult because he denounced revolutionaries from the church -charles albert was a weak war leader, resulted in many deaths at magenta
Mazzini's roman republic was the greatest success of the revolutions of 1848-1849. Do you agree?
yes: -presented a vision of what a mazzinian italy could look like -first real party of italy -lasted a very long time given the level of opposition against foreigners -yes because charles albert's wars failed no: statuto was more successful in piedmont because it put cavour in power and set the path for piedmontese expansion -led to the pope excommunicating anyone associated which would have affected numbers -dashed gioberti's idea that the pope could be the head of a federation as it led to the exposure of the pope's reactionary ways
