Motivations for Imperial Expansion

 

 

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Political Change and Nationalism (Austria-Hungary, Russia, Ottoman Empire)

 



Austro-Hungarian Empire

• Political Change: 8
• With the creation of the Austro-Hungarian Empire came about the new governmental system of a dual monarchy. Capitalism was introduced, bringing about industrialization which strengthened the Austro-Hungarian Empire’s economy, allowing them to be the 4th biggest machine-producer prior to World War I. Austria and Hungary had extensive trading, further strengthening their economy.
• Nationalism: 9
• Nationalism was an incredibly significant driving force for political changes. Many nationalist revolutions occurred, forcing the old governmental system out of place. As a result, a new government (dual-monarchy) was brought in, and so did the rest of the political changes.

Ottoman Empire

• Political Change: 6
• One of the factors involving political change includes the amount of reforms. As a part of Muhammad Ali’s Modernizing Program, and Rifa’a al-Tahtawi was sent to study in France. He became known as one of the first reformers in the Arab world, showing an open mind to European society. His emphasis on education for both boys and girls was carried on by several other reformers. Muhammad Abdul was one of the most revered reformers, and his influence allowed for the creation of many schools for a wide variety of ethnic groups. Politically however, the Ottoman Empire didn’t undergo major changes throughout the 19th century, although it represented their decline with loss of unity, land, and power.
• Nationalism: 3
• There was some degree of nationalism within the Ottoman Empire. The ideal of identity based on nationalism instead of religion contradicted with the Ottoman Empire itself, and secret societies consisting of high intellectuals that meet to discuss key political issues with their identity as a whole. The immediate political effect was nonexistent, as the Ottoman Empire remained in power with the same focus on religion until World War I. It however did contribute to the fall of the empire with different ethnic groups coming to realize their identity and their will to become their own nation.

 

Russia

• Political Change: 4
• Bukhara became a popular trading center which reaped vast amounts of profit with foreign countries. Zemstvo’s were created as a district assembly for rural areas to give the people some local control. It was responsible for education, medical care, veterinary service, insurance, local roads, and food supplies. Other towns were given similar benefits but in the form of limited democracy, with representatives elected by rich property owners. These reforms were all taken back. The judiciary became a separate branch of the government with bureaucratic secrecy removed. The czars ended with the arrival of Communism at the beginning of the 20th century.
• Nationalism: 6
• The wide variety of ethnic groups, such as Ukrainians, Estonians, Latvians, White Russians, Bulgarians, Poles, and Byelorussians eventually led to conflict with nationalism for Russia. While Peter the Great’s reign did bring a degree of modernization and nationalism, it did not emerge until the emergence of the Soviet Union. It’s important to note how this nationalism refers to Russia, and how there were an abundant amount of nationalism for specific ethnic groups that didn’t break away until the fall of the Soviet Union. The lack of nationalism for Russia as a whole led to the Revolution of 1905.