The struggle for mastery in Germany, 1779-1850 / Brendan Simms.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Simms, Brendan.

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Germany--Politics and government--1740-1806.

Germany.

Politics and government.

Germany--Politics and government--1806-1848.

France--History--Revolution, 1789-1799.

France.

History.

Conservatism--Germany.

Conservatism.

Germany--Economic conditions--19th century.

Economic conditions.

Political culture--Germany.

Political culture.

Nationalism--Germany.

Nationalism.

Physical Description:

xi, 242 pages : maps ; 23 cm

Place of Publication:

New York : St. Martin's Press, 1998.

Summary:

This book attempts to combine geopolitics, modernization theory and the primacy of foreign policy to provide a fresh perspective on the struggle for mastery in Germany before 1850. Any form of rigid determinism is eschewed; the outcome of this contest was still relatively open in 1780. Nevertheless, the book shows why after the upheavals -- domestic and internal -- of the revolutionary period, and the geopolitical revolution of 1815, Prussia and not Austria was on the verge of winning the struggle for mastery by mid-century. At every decisive stage along the way, it was Prussia rather than Austria or the "Third Germany" which showed itself capable of socio-economic and (partial) political modernization in order to adapt to external pressures and opportunities.

Contents:

1 Introduction: Geopolitics, Modernization Theory and the Primacy of Foreign Policy 1

2 Germany Before the French Invasion, 1779-92 7

The Old Reich, 1777-92: Polyocracy, Stasis and Renewal 7

Deference, Deviance, and Defiance: German Society on the Threshold of Modernity 14

Reform Absolutism: Modernization under the Primacy of Foreign Policy 23

Germany of the Cabinets: the Primacy of Foreign Policy, 1777-88 44

3 The Impact of the French Wars, 1792-1815 54

The Revolution of 1790 and its Consequences: the German States between Intervention and Accommodation 54

Why was there no Revolution in Germany? 67

The Reform Era: 'Offensive' Modernization 75

Nationalism and Liberation 90

4 The Old Politics and the New Nation, 1815-39 105

The Revolution of 1815 and its Consequences 105

Nationalism, Liberalism and the State: Restricted Modernization under the Primacy of Foreign Policy 117

A New Society? Social and Economic Development after 1815 141

5 The State versus the Nation, 1839-50 157

The Breakthrough of the Nation and the Crisis of the State, 1839-46 157

The Defeat of the Nation and the Triumph of the State, 1846-50 168.

Notes:

Includes bibliographical references (pages 202-227) and index.

ISBN:

0312213093

0312213107

OCLC:

37782986