Essay Question 6

6. The early nineteenth century witnessed the appearance of several new terms, among them “liberalism,” “conservatism,” “romanticism,” and “nationalism.”  Discuss the origins of and beliefs associated with each of these ideologies.  Which, in your opinion, was most influential in the period 1815-1870, and why?

• Liberalism vs. Conservatism
  • Liberalism
    • Enlightenment Era
    • John Locke and Adam Smith
    • Individual freedom>government authority
    • Government responsibilities:
      • Maintain law
      • Protection from foreign bodies
      • Allowance of laissez-faire
  • Conservatism
    • Championed by Edmund Burke and Metternich
    • Relies on monarchy and status quo
    • Advocates for a concrete government
• Nationalism vs. Romanticism
  • Nationalism as a non-political movement
    • Going into German villages
    • German folklore in Grimm stories
    • Feeling that each country is unique
      • Different peoples, cultures, languages
  • Romanticism
    • Gothic ideas
    • Emotional, spiritual, medieval
    • Artistic movement
    • Against Enlightenment