History

(iii) 1848 : The Revolution of the Liberals : Parallel to the revolts of the poor, unemployed and starving peasants and workers in many European countries in the year 1848, a revolution led by the educated middle classes was under way. Events of February 1848 in France had brought about the abdication of the monarch and a republic based on universal male suffrage had been proclaimed. In other parts of Europe where independent nation. States did not yet exist such as Germany, Italy, Poland, the Austro Hungarian Empire men and women unification. They took advantage of the growing popular unrest to push their demands for the creation of a nation-state on a parliamentary principles a constitution, freedom of the Press and freedom of association.
Frankfurt Parliament :
In the German regions a large number of political association came together in the city of Frankfurt and decided to vote for an all-German National Assembly. On 18 May 1848, 831 elected representatives marched in a festive procession to take their places in the Frankfurt parliament convened in the Church of St. Paul. They drafted a constitution for a German nation to be headed by a monarchy subject to a parliament.
Obstacles :
(i) Friedrich Wilhelum IV, King of Prussia rejected it and joined other monarchs to oppose the elected assembly.
(ii) While the opposition of the aristocracy and military became stronger, the social basis of parliament eroded. The parliament was dominated by the middle classes who resisted the demands of workers and artisans and consequently lost their support.
(iii) Issue of extending political rights to women was a constroversial one within the liberal movement, they were denied suffrage rights during the election of the Assembly.
Outcomes :
(i) Though conservative forces were able to suppress liberal movements in 1848, they could not restore the old order.
(ii) In the years after 1848, the autocratic monarchies of Central and Eastern Europe began to introduce the changes that had already taken place in Western Europe before 1815.
(iii) The Habsburg rulers granted more autonomy to the Hungarians in 1867.