Nieuwste Geschiedenis
Aantekeningen hoorcolleges
Inhoudsopgave
Hoorcollege 1 - The Challenge of Nationalism................................................................................................. 1
Hoorcollege 2 – Class society, civil society...................................................................................................... 2
Hoorcollege 3 – Revolution and Reform......................................................................................................... 3
Hoorcollege 4 – Empires and colonies............................................................................................................ 4
Hoorcollege 5 – Monarchical states and principal states.................................................................................5
Hoorcollege 6 – The first World War............................................................................................................... 6
Hoorcollege 7 – Na de catastrofe: vernieuwing en crisis onder de schaduw van W.O. I...................................7
Hoorcollege 8 – De jaren dertig...................................................................................................................... 8
Hoorcollege 9 - De Tweede Wereldoorlog en de Holocaust...........................................................................12
Hoorcollege 11 - Welvaart, democratisering en culturele transformaties na 1945.........................................17
Hoorcollege 12 – Eenheid en verdeeldheid................................................................................................... 19
Hoorcollege 1 - The Challenge of Nationalism
Historiographical approaches to the nineteenth century:
- Liberal, nationalist, socialist, conservative historians agree that the period was
‘modern’.
- Attempt to historicize thinking behind modernity (Reinhart Koselleck).
- ‘Persistence of the Olde Regime’, influence of monarchy, nobility, church (Arno
Mayer).
- Critique of modernity as disciplinary and homogenizing.
The challenge of nationalism
- How did nationalism, from a structurally weak position, become a success?
- Why did nationalism appeal to so many people? What made it special?
- Under which condition did nationalist movements achieve nation states?
- Why did nationalism radicalize, including in firmly established nation states?
Explaining nationalism’s plausibility
- ‘Imagined community’, ‘invented traditions’; powerful stories of sacrifice,
achievement, glory that brought citizens together.
- Emotional, religious, backward-looking and rational, practical, forward-looking.
- Attractive to growing middle-class of teachers, academics, journalists, also of lawyers,
engineers, businessmen.
,Italian unification, 1859-1870
- Movement (Risorgimento), in junction with leadership by Piedmont-Sardinia (Camillo
di Cavour) and support by Napoleon III’s France.
- In 1848/49 this failed, but military victory against Hapsburg Empire (1859) and
successful uprising against Kingdom of Two Sicily’s (1860).
- Italian kingdom waged a further war against Hapbsburg Empire, adding Venice (1866)
and conquered the Papal State (1870).
German unification, 1864-1871
- Movement, at odds with Prussia but eventually collaborating with chancellor Otto
von Bismarck.
- Victory of Prussia and Austria against Denmark added territories (1864).
- Prussia won war against Austria (1866), leading to annexations and North-German
Federation.
- Victory against France (1870/71) brought in southern German states and led up to
German Empire, at first a federation of monarchies.
From nationalisms to nation-states
- Nationalisms led to uprisings (Poland in 1830 and 1863, Ireland 1867) and
contributed to revolutions (1848/49).
- But backing by monarchical states needed either from outside (France for Italy,
several for Greece) or inside (Prussia, Piedmont-Sardinia).
- New nation-states represented compromises between conservatives and liberals
(Germany) or liberals and revolutionaries (Italy).
Consequences of nationalism within nation-states
- Strong pressure never to stand still, to be more nationalist, to strengthen the nation.
- External dimension (assertiveness against competing nationalisms, quest for imperial
power).
- Domestic dimension (quest for homogeneity, against socialist internationalism and
minorities, especially Jews).
Hoorcollege 2 – Class society, civil society
Key questions
- How did Marx understand class society, and Tocqueville civil society?
- Was Marx ‘right’ about industrialization, the bourgeoisie and the working class?
- Was Tocqueville ‘right’ about associational life and civic activism?
- How were civil society and class society related?
Karl Marx (1818-1883)
- Radical writer.
- Émigré in Paris, Bruxelles and London.
- Critic of class society and the bourgeoisie.
, - Prophet of communism.
Alexis de Tocqueville (1805-1859)
- French nobleman and liberal-conservative politician.
- Historian of growing state power since the Anciént Regime.
- Observer of democratic life in the United States.
Marx’s diagnosis of his society in the light of recent historiography
- Industrialization stunning, but more gradual and uneven then Marx suggested.
- Bourgeoisie: growing in importance, demarcated from workers, but more diverse and
more culturally defined.
- Working class: was socially and politically diverse and did not become poorer across
the board, ‘white-collar workers’ emerged.
Civil society in the nineteenth century
- Associations for culture, leisure, politics, more important across Europe then
Tocqueville’s fixation on the United States suggests.
- Dominated by middle-class men, who kept others out of associations and decisions.
- But workers, women, Catholics also formed associations – civil society hence divided
along class, gender, religious and national lines.
Class society and civil society
- Both provide crucial and important perspectives on nineteenth century society,
explain its divisions and dynamics.
- Both were related, as class (and religious/gender) differences marked associational
life.
- Nationalism was part of class and civil society but also undermined both.
Hoorcollege 3 – Revolution and Reform
Key questions
- Why were there revolutionary waves c. 1820, 1830 and 1848/49 – but not after
1850?
- How did socialists and anarchists react to revolutionary weakness after 1850?
- Why were ‘reforms’ so important throughout the 19th century? What were objectives
and methods of reform?
Southern European Revolution(s) of 1820-1823s
- Spain: military mutiny led to adoption of a liberal constitution.
- Revolution spread to Portugal, Kingdom of Two Sicily’s and Piedmont-Sardinia.
- Reception in other countries such as France and Germany.
- Crackdown by Habsburg Empire in Italy and by France in Spain.
Revolution of 1830
- France: Charles X’s reactionary politics plus economic downturn led to unrest.
- Collaboration between liberals and radicals political critique, lower-class protest,
street battles.