Understanding Nationalism, Old Regime, and European History
Nationalism: An Ideology and Movement
Nationalism is an ideology and a social and political movement that emerged with the concept of the nation in the contemporary age, during the Age of Revolutions. It is based on two basic principles regarding the relationship between nation and state:
- The principle of national sovereignty: the nation is the only legitimate basis for the state.
- The nationality principle: each nation should form its own state, and state boundaries should match those of the nation.
The Old Regime: A Class-Based Society
The term designates a class society, a type of social organization based on unequal terms. This culminates in the legal and political system and traditional legitimacy, in which individuals are assigned to various orders. These orders are hierarchically organized within the human group, prescribing the sphere of activities and political constraints.
The French Revolution and the Old Regime
Old Regime was the term used pejoratively by the French revolutionaries to describe the system of government before the French Revolution of 1789 (the absolute monarchy of Louis XVI). It was also applied to other European monarchies with similar regimes.
The Congress of Vienna: Restoring Europe
The Congress of Vienna was an international meeting held in Vienna, Austria, convened to restore the borders of Europe after Napoleon I’s defeat and to reorganize the political ideologies of the Old Regime.
The Enlightenment: The Age of Reason
The Enlightenment was a cultural movement that developed from the early eighteenth century until the beginning of the French Revolution, although it continued in some countries during the early nineteenth century. It aimed to dispel the darkness of humanity through the light of reason. Enlightenment thinkers argued that human reason could combat ignorance, superstition, and tyranny, and build a better world. The Enlightenment had a great influence in economic, political, and social spheres.
Enlightened Despotism: Absolutism and Reason
Enlightened despotism is a political concept within absolute monarchies, belonging to the governmental systems of the Old Regime in Europe. It incorporates the philosophical ideas of the Enlightenment, according to which man’s decisions are guided by reason.
The Nueva Planta Decrees: Reorganizing Spain
The Nueva Planta Decrees are a set of decrees that changed the territorial organization of the Hispanic kingdoms. They abolished the realms of the Crown of Aragon, which had fought against Philip V in the War of Succession, dissolving the territorial organization and revoking the privileges and freedoms of its municipalities, similar to what occurred in the realms of the Crown of Castile.
The Restoration: Spain’s Return to the Bourbons
Restoration is the period in Spanish history between 1874 and 1923. This period includes the reign of Alfonso XII (1874-1885), the Regency of Maria Cristina (1885-1901), and Alfonso XIII (1901-1931). The term refers to the official return to the throne of the Bourbons, who had lost it after the Revolution of September 1868, called “Glorious,” which overthrew Queen Elizabeth, mother of Alfonso XII.