I Have Power, Let's Keep it That Way

To answer the question: what should people in power do when their power is threatened; we looked to the Congress of Vienna. First, we read a pleasant little paper with elaborate descriptions and pictures that explained what the Congress was and who attended. After a discussion, we watched a dramatization of Napoleon Bonaparte and Metternich discussing France's plea for peace. In this situation it is Napoleon whose power was being threatened. In exchange for peace between France and the rest of Europe, Metternich, a conservative representative of Austria, demands that France returns the original borders before Napoleon’s conquests and ceases his conquests once and for all. When Napoleon was presented with this, his power threatened, he brought Metternich over to his window to boast about his grand army, trying to intimidate the person who dared to encroach upon his power. Napoleon claims his army has regenerated since it's last battle and will destroy Vienna if Austria declares war. Intimidating, yet still trying to encourage his opponent. 

               As history reports, Napoleon Bonaparte lost even with his rebuilt army, and was exiled once more. To protect against future Napoleons, The Congress of Vienna created acts that would prevent further disturbances in government. The Principle of Intervention is one such act which allowed the Great Powers: Russia, Austria, Prussia, Britain and France (which had returned to a monarchy) a special privilege. These countries could send in their armies to any other country struggling to extinguish a revolution. For personal reasons, England refused to take part in this. In the 1820s this principle was taken advantage of by the Austrians, who put down a revolution of Italian nationalists. The Principle of Intervention came in handy again in 1830 and then in 1848 when waves of revolution swept through Europe. The Congress of Vienna has other impressive deeds as well, like 40 years without war between the five Great Powers and the ever necessary extension of European monarchy, long live the King! 

               The Congress of Vienna, just like Napoleon, had a decision to make when their power was threatened. I do not think they made the right decision, but I do understand where they were coming from. The people attending the Congress were not of middle or poor class, so chances are they were mostly Conservatives who wished to preserve their power, and their choices in Vienna display that. They stuck with Monarchies, even though middle and lower class folk were clearly getting fed up with their current governments. If, instead, the Congress of Vienna had resulted in democracies where everyone gets a say in government, a lot of energy and resources could be saved stopping revolutions because they would be pleasing the majority. It would be a miracle if people in power would be willing to sacrifice some of their power and except a change that would benefit the greatest amount of people.