The Risorgimento (1831-1847)

Mazzini and Young Italy
1. Young Italy founded in 1831, accompanied by journal of same name to spread Mazzinian ideas
  1. United Italian republic
  2. National revolution necessary
  3. Belief in democracy and the will of the people
  4. Failures
    1. 1833: Proposed army coup detected before it began, 67 arrested and 12 members killed
    2. 1834: Planned attack on Piedmont and uprising in Genoa failed to get off the ground
2. 1831: Mazzini wrote to Charles Albert asking him to lead the movement for a united Italy
3. Impact
  1. His ideas were inspirational to others
    1. Helped foster national consciousness
  2. Views only shared by a minority
    1. Those from privileged backgrounds
    2. Peasantry did not support Mazzinian uprisings: land ownership and poverty were their main concerns
National identity and support
1. There was no native Italian language, dialects were prevalent in different areas
  1. Progress
    1. Journal: Antologia (Tuscany)
    2. Biblioteca Italiana and Il Politecnico (Lombardy)
    3. National organisations (eg. Congresso degli Scienziata)
2. Music
  1. Giuseppe Verdi's works became linked with anti-Austrian sentiment
    1. 1842: Nabucco (opera)
      1. 'Chorus of the Hebrew Slaves' highlighted the "enslavement" of Italian people
    2. 1843: I Lombardi (opera)
3. Literature
  1. Defined identity further and provoked debate about Italy's future (1840s)
4. Who supported the Risorgimento?
  1. Mostly middle classes, peasantry more concerned with daily survival
Intellectuals
1. Vincenzo Gioberti
  1. Italy should be rid of foreign influence
    1. More moderate than Mazzini
  2. Italian federation under Pope's leadership
    1. Neo-Guelph: A way forward without revolution
  3. Appealed to Italian Catholics but not totally popular
  4. Spread idea of Pope as leader
    1. Even influenced Napoleon at Plombières!
2. Cesare Balbo
  1. In favour of a federation of states
  2. View of Italy limited: North only
  3. Piedmontese monarchy should lead in expelling Austria from Lombardy/Venice
  4. Solutions: Italian/European diplomacy
  5. His book became very popular in Piedmont
3. Massimo d'Azeglio
  1. 1845: Witnessed revolution in Romagna
  2. Believed revolution was not the way forward
  3. Public and European opinion was of utmost importance
    1. Change could then happen naturally
    2. This view also shared by Balbo
  4. Political change should be engineered from above, NOT revolution
    1. This view also shared by Balbo
    2. Wanted a more conservative settlement

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The Risorgimento (1831-1847)

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	Created by Myrii over 10 years ago