The failure of German liberalism can be attributed in part Austrian Prince Klemens von Metternich and German chancellor Otto von Bismarck. In the years following the French Revolution the monarchies of Europe tried to promoted conservative views in order to justify their rule. Metternich foresaw the spread of liberalism from the American and French revolution as a giant threat. With the Carlsbad Decrees issued in 1819, he sought to repress the spread of liberal ideas by …
showed first 75 words of 341 total

showed last 75 words of 341 total
…also supported him in a legal crusade against the Catholic Church who wanted Germans to put their loyalty to the church before their nation. Once again Bismarck was manipulating national feelings for a sense of unity to divert attention away governmental issues. Bismarck eventually abandoned the liberals and sided with the Catholic Church for economic reasons. Bismarck succeeded in blinding the German liberals and influenced them to accept the system of government that he dictated.