Cavour's Diplomacy and Garibaldi's Ideas and Italian Unification
The historical view of Italian Unification like other revolutionary processes of the nineteenth century has become a mix of both exaggerated myth and fact. With hindsight historians can now detach themselves sufficiently from events to distinguish, objectively which figures in the Risorgimento allowed it to result in the United Kingdom of Italy in 1870. Any historical movement is a culmination of events and combination of different figures. Both Giuseppe Garibaldi and Count Camillo Benso di Cavour emerge as leading figures in the movement. Garibaldi is celebrated as a hero, a natural leader and military genius who inspired men to
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Another point to acknowledge when considering this source was that it was a British newspaper and Garibaldi was loved, in Britain nearly as greatly as in his native Italy[4]
Nonetheless, Garibaldi became the vital link between the masses and the politicians, with his legendary adventures making him a focal point for patriotic nationalist sentiment. This was partly because Garibaldi could win around political figures, for example when in June 1849 he entered the Triumvirate Assembly with a bent sword, as a symbol of the combat he had been involved in, he was made dictator of the Roman Republic. Although, throughout the Risorgimento it is Cavour who is commended for being pragmatic and flexible, Adriana Stiles comments that Garibaldi was also willing to be flexible, but unlike Cavour he would only change in order to increase the chances to liberating Italy:
'He had come under the influence of Mazzini in 1831…he
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This reiterates the point that Garibaldi was a poor military strategist. Garibaldi's ideas were somewhat anachronistic in that 'his political doctrines like his militant tactics belonged to the age before the machine gun'[14]. To some extent Garibaldi's heroic, romantic image was a superficial mask, which was only able to deceive the ill-educated peasants, as he appeared more transparent to the politicians. It was Cavour who persuaded Napoleon that the capture of the South was legitimate by making excuses about pacifying Garibaldi and holding plebiscites in Sicily, Naples and the Papal States. This instance illustrates how Cavour was a great leader in that he was able to adapt to dangerous situations by taking control.
Cavour was a political master; it can be argued that the full extent of his talents was not truly acknowledged till after his death:
'Cavour's former colleagues succeeded him as Prime Minister. All claimed to follow Cavour's policy. All were honourable men… But none lasted very long, none had the vision, the courage, the strength of character possessed by their predecessor. Not one of them had
Ginsborg P (1990). ‘A History of Contemporary Italy: Society and Politics: 1943-1980’ Published by Penguin; Reprint edition (27 Sep 1990).
Next, we will discuss the Risorgimento, a 19th-century movement for unification of Italy that would ultimately establish the Kingdom of Italy in 1861. Before this time, the Italian peninsula
Italy achieved her unification in 1870. She had a constitutional monarchy like that of Great Britain, but democratic society failed to develop in Italy because the government was controlled by corrupt politicians, called the party bosses. They controlled the elections by bribing the voters. Once they were in power, they were more interested in achieving personal gains for themselves than in solving the social and economic problems of the people. As a result of this political corruption, Italy remained a poor country. Industrial progress was slow. Italy was poor in natural resources and lack of fertile land. Many of the farm laborers were landless and were often unemployed, so millions of Italians were forced to emigrate.
The Extent to Which the Lack of Popular Support was the Main Reason for the Weakness of Italian Nationalism in the Period 1815-1848
Machiavelli's Italy was caught in the middle of a conflict between France and Spain over control of Naples. When King Charles VIII of France set out, around the 1490's, to claim the southern Italian Kingdom, he found assistance, not resistance, from Lodovico Sforza, then Duke of Milan. The leader in Florence, Piero Medici, set out to confront the French invasion, but upon realization of the might of his opposition, he "panicked [and] rode out to meet Charles and presented him with keys to…the important fortresses in Florentine territory" (Muhlberger 1). With such leadership, it is no surprise that Italy was nothing more than a collection of weak city-states. The condition of Italy, with its fragmented populace and effeminate leaders, was a far cry from the glory and might of the Roman Empire.
The Life of Garibaldi Giuseppe Garibaldi was born in Nice, France in 1807. He spent most of his youth as a sailor on Mediterranean merchant ships. In 1883 he joined Young Italy, the movement organised by the Italian revolutionary Giuseppe Mazzini. He believed that all Italian people should be free and that Italyshould not only be independent, but also an integrated republic. Italyhad been left completely fragmented by the settlements reached at Congress of Vienna in 1815.
...e the beginning of its unification, Italy has battled with the differences of the north and south. It will take a long time to achieve economic stability in the south, but one that must be reached in order to increase the economic growth for the whole country. With its strong nationalistic views, Italy is well on its way to achieving its goals.
Ambrose Bierce’s Devil’s Dictionary states that “politics is the conduct of public affairs for private advantage.” This quote’s relevance is shown in numerous instances in Robert Harris’ book “Imperium”, which is narrated by the main character Cicero’s irreplaceable secretary Tiro. This sad yet inevitable truth is showcased throughout this novel by several characters which come and go in the plot of this historical courtroom drama. Several characters did either horrendous acts to the civilians they were representing or either plotted belittling political agendas to try and shape the future of the Roman Empire for centuries to come. These characters to be analyzed include: the former Sicilian governor Gaius Verres, prominent military men such as Pompey the Great and Crassus, along with a young and less powerful Julius Caesar, and the novel’s main character Marcus Cicero, as well as some of the pawns to these great political mind’s chess board. The field of politics attracts some of the greatest minds to ever walk this Earth, and brings these rather wise figures many privileges, but a clean pair of hands is seldom among these luxuries. This tale of private advantage in the public sector begins with the prosecution of Gaius Verres by Marcus Cicero in the extortion courts of Rome during Cicero’s early political days.
By forming a Triumvirate with Octavian Lepidus and Antony; Caesar created another power of three potentates (Ferrill, 2). Only this one was sanctioned by the Roman Senate. He never forgot about the people of Rome and forming relationships along the way, Caesar accomplished great exploits. He provided the groundwork for the Roman expansion of the empire. His brilliance in positioning his armies in the right place at the exact right times, Caesar had his name on just about anything to do with the expansion process. The Roman empire worked its way into Europe and Great Britain. Egypt turned out to be a sore spot for the power of three. Cleopatra offered herself to both Caesar and Antony and sparked an incredible rivalry that ended in suicide
Despite intense feelings of nationalism, when Italy’s opportunity came to unify in early 1848 the leaders and the people became hopelessly divided.
The Italian Unification was a big impact on Nationalism, which was led by Benso di Cavour, which supplied most of the ideology for the movement. Benso di Cavour was also the Prince of Piedmont-Sardinia and severed as King Victor Emmanuel II. Cavour built the strength of Piedmont-Sardinia by making a strong army, an environment that was healthy, and political freedom. Cavour was all for freedom of speech, gaining Napoleon III support by promising him Sa...
The Civil War in the eyes of most people is not glorious, but rather one of the worst crimes you could possibly commit when the state is all-important. Only under the most extreme circumstances should one be allowed to (in the eyes of the people that is) begin a Civil War with just cause. Caesar took this into consideration, but too many things were going wrong in Rome for him not to begin the war.
"The manner in which Mussolini and the Fascist Party gained possession of the government was regarded in most foreign circles as an illegal act of violence." (3) As the nation of Italy began to suffer great debts, Mussolini had been summoned by the King to form a government to aid in the economic needs. This marked the birth of the Fascist Party in Italy. In the beginning of his rise to the top, Mussolini was popular amongst his people. His popularity was high, and people began to trust in his judgment and ideas. (4) He was, in essence, saving the people from the turmoil that had ensued the nat...
In the early years of the twentieth century, Italy has created a new system of government, however suffered social and economic conditions. Improvements were made however, poverty and literacy were still problems that have not been solved well. While entering World War I, the nation was neutral up until joining the British and French in exchange for certain advantages. However, it was unsuccessful as Italy failed to take control of the territories that it claimed at the Versailles Peace Conference,and suffered significant losses. The ideology of fascism occurred when the power of Italy was shrinking and the idea of being a pacifist became weak. Benito Mussolini created a group of fascists to represent a means to stop the socialists and the communists coming into his nation.
Even in recent times the action of war has been useful in condensing scattered elements of nationality, and in liberating subject populations. United Italy was formed directly or indirectly by the war of 1859, 1866, and 187O. The last war realised the dreams of German poets, and united the Teutonic nations more closely than the shrewdest statesmen could have conceived to be possible a few years ago. That same war, so calamitous for France, will yet regenerate that great country, and make her more prosperous than she has ever been. Th...