Download Background Guide Congress of Vienna Mariah Coughlin Karen

Background Guide
Congress of Vienna
Mariah Coughlin
Karen Rodriquez
Background Guide
Congress of Vienna
Mariah Coughlin
Karen Rodriquez
Esteemed delegates,
It is my honor to welcome you to the Congress of Vienna at the first annual
Orlando Model United Nations Conference! My name is Mariah Coughlin and I will be
one of your co-directors for the duration of the conference. Currently, I am a freshman at
the University of Central Florida studying Mathematics and Economics. I have been
involved in Model United Nations for four years now and this is my third time directing a
committee, and my first time in an historical committee. I am very excited about how this
committee will go!
Although our topics occurred long ago and have been analyzed and studied
countless times we get to approach them as a current affairs committee might. As a
member of this Congress, you get to determine the future existence of European nations
and will be part of a proceeding that transforms the modern conduct of international
affairs. Most of the outcomes from the “original Congress” were influenced by the
personalities of the major players almost as much as the issues themselves did, so I can’t
wait to see how everything turns out. Also, we would like to encourage everyone in the
committee to research up until the point at which the conference meets and synthesize,
for yourselves, the appropriate steps forward, not the historical ones already taken.
My name is Karen Rodriguez and I’ll be the other co-director for the Congress of
Vienna. I am currently a freshman at the University of Central Florida studying Political
Science with a minor in French. I’m also Cuban and from Miami, where I’ve lived my
whole life. I first joined Model UN during my freshman year of high school, where I
found a love for it. Now, I’m very excited to be a part of UNA at UCF. In addition, I love
to travel and hope to study abroad in France in the future.
OMUN will be my first conference as a co-director. I’m really excited to be a part
of OMUN’s first year and I’m glad you’ve taken interest in joining us for the experience!
With this committee set up a bit differently from others in that delegates are state
representatives rather than nations, I can’t wait to see where the many possible alternate
history scenarios will take us.
If you have any questions about the committee’s proceedings, please feel free to email us,
we look forward to working with you!
Mariah Coughlin - [email protected]
Karen Rodriguez - [email protected]
Background Guide
Congress of Vienna
Mariah Coughlin
Karen Rodriquez
COMMITTEE PROCEDURES
Since most of the work done by the Congress of Vienna occurred in informal
face-to-face discussion, the committee will be operating similar to a crisis committee.
Our default debate will be moderated caucuses and no speakers list will be entertained.
Points of Order will be entertained.
Points of Information will be entertained if they are in relation to clarifying historical
facts or figures.
Veto power
When assembling the Congress of Vienna, it was deemed very important to
ensure that invitations would be issued to “all the powers engaged on either side in the
present war.” What wasn’t so clear to all members, however, was the inclusion of the first
Secret Article of the Peace of Paris, which ruled that many issues, including “the relations
from which a system of real and permanent balance of power in Europe is to be derived,”
would be decided by the four Great Powers (Russia, Austria, Prussia, and Great Britain).
As a result, every representative besides those of the Great Powers entered the Congress
under the false impression that they would have significant influence in decision-making.
If it were given more attention, many countries would have protested the inequality of
power in favor of the Big Four, especially a resentful Talleyrand. In this committee,
representatives have the advantage of executing veto power. Depending on how
representatives interact with each other, this privilege may or may not prove successful in
the process of facilitating important issues such as territorial disputes.
It is up to representatives to take advantage of this power and use it as accurately
and efficiently as possible to best benefit their respective countries. Although the Great
Powers of the original Congress faced big issues of organization regarding procedure,
delegates must find a way to reach consensus on how this version of the Congress of
Vienna should be structured. Without a proper and efficient functioning committee,
member states don’t stand a chance against the growing concerns of the outside world.
THE CONGRESS OF VIENNA
Historical Overview
The rise of Napoleon began in 1789 at the onset of the political revolutions in
France and was cemented on November 10, 1799 when he, along with Roger Ducos and
Emmanuel Joseph Sieyès, led the coup d'état of 18 Brumaire which overthrew the
constitutional goverment. Napoleon then drafted the Constitution of the Year VIII and
secured his election as the First Consul. In 1804, Napoleon, emboldened by plots for his
assassination, reconstituted a hereditary monarchy in France and crowned himself
Emporer on December 2 and in 1805 was also crowned King of Italy.
Background Guide
Congress of Vienna
Mariah Coughlin
Karen Rodriquez
The execution of Louis XVI and the upheaval of aristocracy during the French
Revolution gave wind to apprehension amongst European aristocracy against the growing
revolutionary sentiment across the continent1. Soon after the execution in 1793, countries
began forming alliances against revolutionary France. The first of the anti-French
coalitions was formed by Austria, Sardinia, Naples, Prussia, Spain, and Great Britain in
1793. The coalition collapsed a year later. Only Austria and Britain remained at war with
France. Prussia and Spain made peace with France and Holland was replaced by the
Batavian Republic, a French satellite state. The Second and Third Coalitions also
collapsed with massive defeats at Ulm and Austerlitz, defeating both Austrian and
Russian forces. The Fourth Coalition, comprised of Russia, Saxony, Sweden, Prussia, and
the United Kingdom, was formed in the October of 1806.2 Soon after, Napoleon took
control of Poland from Russia and instituted the Duchy of Warsaw and defeated Prussia
at Jena in the same year. From these victories, Russia and Prussia were forced to make
peace at Tilsit. The Treaty of Tilsit effectively ended war between Imperial Russia and
the French Empire and began an alliance which held most of Europe under its influence.
The Treaty also stripped Prussia of half of its territory, dividing it amongst Saxony,
Westphalia, Russia, and the Duchy of Warsaw.3
As of 1810, Russian-Franco relations had reached an all time low with the end of
the Anglo-Russian War and in April 1812 each secretly signed an agreement against
Napoleon.4 In 1812 Napoleon retained Germany, had dynastic ties with Austria, and was
master of the Netherlands, Italy, and Illyria. Emboldened by his victory over the
Coalitions and seizure of land, Napoleon began his Russian Campaign and was
infamously
defeated by the
Fifth Coalition
(Russia,
Austria,
Sweden,
numerous
German states,
the United
Kingdom, and
Russia) and fled
back to France.
On April 6
1813, Napoleon
Kissinger, Henry A. A World Restored: Metternich, Castlereagh, and the Problems of
Peace 1812-1822.
2
www.victorianweb.org/history/forpol/vienna.html
3
Zamoyski, Adam. Rites of Peace: The Fall of Napoleon and the Congress of Vienna.
4
Nicolson, Harold. The Congress of Vienna, A Study in Allied Unity: 1812-1822.
1
Background Guide
Congress of Vienna
Mariah Coughlin
Karen Rodriquez
abdicated his throne and was exiled to Elba. The Treaty of Fontainbleu was subsequently
drafted and signed, restoring France to its original boundaries and stripping it of all
international influence. Article XXXII of the Peace of Paris had provided for a congress
to be held in Vienna which was to settle the problem of the European equilibrium after
the defeat of Napoleon.5 It was the ambition of the Congress that a legitimate order be
set from the Napoleonic wars that would be accepted by all major powers, to further
prevent imperialism in Europe, and to prevent political revolutions, such as the French
Revolution.
During his reign, Napoleon engaged in nepotism and created new rulers and
boundaries frequently, which resulted in the rise of nationalism and discontent in
defeated and satellite states and also for the discord of territorial claims at the Congress.
At the arrival of Congress members in 1814, the European map was nearly
unrecognizable from nearly 25 years of constant war.
THE CONFERENCE AGENDA
All issues up for discussion should follow from the idea of the Congress being a
levy for the balance of European powers.
Territorial Claims and the Balance of Power
Across Europe, especially in Central and Southern Europe, there were very
difficult territorial issues to resolve due to drastic changes in the historical structure of
European states made in the Napoleonic Wars, such as the dissolution of the Holy Roman
Empire in 1806. Delegates may also consider colonial claims and the rise of imperial
resistance in such colonies and the assertion of independence in some. Also, in relation to
colonial issues, the Congress might address the issue of the slave trade as a contemplation
of the subject after the British Empire abolished slavery with the Slave Trade Act of
1807.6
Kissinger, Henry A. A World Restored: Metternich, Castlereagh, and the Problems of
Peace 1812-1822.
5
6
http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/pathways/blackhistory/rights/abolition.htm
Background Guide
Congress of Vienna
Mariah Coughlin
Karen Rodriquez
The Polish Question
The primary focus of the
Congress was the Polish Question
(also called the Polish-Saxon
Crisis). Poland, located at the
heart of Europe, acts as a gateway
to its surrounding regions, as
illustrated by the successive
invasions of France and Russia. In
1750 Poland possessed a vast area
of territory with a population of
about 10.5 million. The leaders of
Poland were divided by internal
dissension and family feuds and
therefore susceptible to the
influence of its neighbors. Russia,
Austria, and Prussia effectively dissolved any sort of independent state of Poland with
partitions from 1772 to 1796, when Poland was completely dissolved. Napoleon
reconstituted a small portion of the polish state, which he called the Duchy of Warsaw in
1807, later adding the areas of Western Galicia and Cracow after the defeat of Austria in
1809.7 Poland remained an ally of France’s for the remainder of the Napoleonic Wars and
contributed heavily to the Grand Armee during the invasion of Russia. After Napoleons
defeat in Russia, Poland was overrun by the Allied armies in 1813, however, a settlement
had yet to be made on its division as Russia, Prussia, and Austria all had partial claims on
the territory.
Due to its recent political allegiances, the Polish aristocracy and people have
grown increasing patriotic. The local aristocracies have become nationalistic and hold a
strong loyalty to Napoleon for the reconstitution of Polish territory.
The question of how to resettle Poland was made more contentious by the preCongress Russian-Prussian pact, whereby the Prussian King withdrew any Prussian
claims to Polish land and supported a Tsarist Poland. In return, King Alexander promised
to back Prussian claims to all lands within the Kingdom of Saxony, thereby balancing the
number of souls. The number of souls was a calculation method used by the Congress of
Vienna, used to determine the value of a piece of land. Lost territory was counted by the
amount of people who inhabited it, not by economic or acreage worth.8 This method may
or may not be used by the Congress, but should be taken into consideration.
Any resolution proposed by the committee should highlight upon the geopolitical
interest of Polish territory and the balance of power between member states, the current
territorial claims for the region, and the desire for independence among the Polish people.
7
8
Chapman, Tim. The Congress of Vienna 1814-1815
http://www.dipublico.com.ar/english/final-act-of-the-congress-of-viennageneral-treaty-1815/
Background Guide
Congress of Vienna
Mariah Coughlin
Karen Rodriquez
Central Europe
1812
The German Settlements
Germany has been more
profoundly impacted by than any
other territory in Europe by the
French revolution and the
subsequent Napoleonic wars.
Central Europe remained under
the influence of France for more
than a decade. That influence was
at first limited and indirect, but
over time became pervasive and
overpowering. Yet it was during
this period of foreign
preponderance that Germany for
the first time felt the stirrings of
liberalism and nationalism.
After its dissolution in
1806, the Holy Roman Empire
was replaced by the
Confederation of the Rhine, or the Rheinbund, of which Napoleon named himself
protector. The intention of Napoleon in Germany was to reduce and isolate Austria in
order to enlarge Prussia, and to create a number of secondary states (Bavaria,
Wurttemberg, Baden, etc.). The gratified rulers of these secondary states were devoted
allies, but were also left with incomplete power as Napoleon left mediatized counts and
knights who were only subject to France. Other rulers saw their status rise and the
working class saw themselves liberated from archaic regulations, guilds, and social
persecution. One government after another began to remove religious restrictions, relax
economic barriers, eliminate servile obligations, and centralize administrative functions.
These new freedoms gave rise to liberalism in the Rheineland. Although such freedoms
were introduced by hegemonic French rule, the presence of overbearing, arrogant foreign
occupiers aroused a sense of nationality to the German people.
No state was affected more by French hegemony than Prussia. Between 1806 and
1813 the statesmen in Berlin initiated a revolution from above to transform a rigid
despotism into a popular monarchy supported by the loyalty of a free citizenry. Out of the
disasters of Jena and Tilsit emerged a group of gifted reformers who sought to regenerate
their country, among whom were Karl, Freiherr (baron) vom Stein, Karl August, Fürst
(prince) von Hardenberg, along with the military commanders Gerhard von Scharnhorst
Background Guide
Congress of Vienna
Mariah Coughlin
Karen Rodriquez
and August, Graf (count) Neidhardt von Gneisenau.9 Defeat changed Prussia from a
garrison state into a centre of political and intellectual ferment.
Multiple German princes, current and past electors both, were present at the
Congress’ proceedings, making the issue of how to resettle the territory contentious.
For the sake of this committee, Representative Metternich’s vision of Austria and
Prussia maintaining a balance of power over Germany will have been successful. As
Austria and Prussia moved on from the topic of Germany, they neglected to notice the
increasing objections from smaller German states that felt their sense of nationalism and
independence were being stripped of them. Being denied any rights to submit proposals,
these German states have turned to violent acts for attention. However, Austria and
Prussia have no interest in giving up power during such critical times. A peaceful
solution must be reached to satisfy all three parties as effectively as possible, most
importantly to ensure long-lasting effects from the temporary peace between Austria and
Prussia.
Lately, there has also been talk about these small rebellious states rejecting all
attempts to merge into a German Confederation. It is up to the Congress of Vienna to find
a way to address all other issues at hand while also now attending to this rising issue.
Keep in mind that this division of Germany between Prussia and Austria has allowed the
countries to coexist and any reduction or increase in territory will surely upset one, if not
the other. Still, the rumors of rebel states should not be taken lightly, as this could lead to
a revolution involving innocent lives.
The Rise of Nationalism
One of the enduring effects of the Napoleonic Wars was the rise of Nationalism in
countries once under French leadership or allegiance. The Congress was of the mind that
nationalism posed a threat to existing leadership therefore challenging the power of
members present at Vienna. The issue cannot be ignored as it is a substantial threat to the
balance of power the Congress members proposed. Any decisions made in Committee
over this subject will have severe implications for the future of Europe, chiefly in regards
to the maintenance of the status quo and the rise of revolutionary sentiment.10 Delegates
should consider whether or not it is possible to suppress nationalism, or if it would be
better for the Congress to ignore the issue. Delegates should also consider the current
state of European development. Not only does the Congress represent a significant
political transformation, it also carries new found thought on liberalism and national selfdetermination. This general intellectual awakening, called the Enlightenment, highlighted
upon national identity and cultural self-expression through such an identity. So, should
European statesmen negotiate in terms of this national identity or through an older
9
http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/231186/Germany/58180/Results-of-the-Congressof-Vienna
10
Lockhart, John Gilbert. The Peacemakers, 1814-1815.
Background Guide
Congress of Vienna
Mariah Coughlin
Karen Rodriquez
structure of “legitimacy”?11 The principle of legitimacy was a popular form of
negotiating that restored pre-revolutionary dynastic and territorial states. The concept of
the legitimizing principle developed out of the Thirty Years War at the 1648 Peace of
Westphalia which established the norms for the international state system.
Westphalia helped to instill the idea of the sovereignty equality of states in the
sense that states recognized one another’s sovereignty. It emphasized the rights of states
over the rights of people, believing in the inviolability of territory over the people’s
notion of the state. Signing parties agreed that the sovereignty of each state was more
important than any principle on which its sovereignty rested. With nationalism, however,
the key idea is self-determination for groups that consider themselves to be nations.12
Self-determination requires that nations have control over their own territories, which
may imply undermining the older system of legitimacy. There can ultimately be only one
way of effectively dividing territory and you have two opposing principles. A possible
outcome is that the legitimacy principle fails in some places and triumphs in others (and
similarly nationalism) depending on the bargaining between delegates.
LEADING QUESTIONS
How did the Napoleonic Wars affect your country?
Was your country a part of one of the Coalitions?
What settlements are you prepared to make, and what settlements are you not prepared to
make? This may be related to your own territorial claims or objections to another country
gaining/losing territory.
How do you, as a leader of your nation, envision the future of your nation and of Europe?
Who poses the greatest threat to your vision and how will you negotiate out of such a
threat? In other words, what do you have to gain and what do you have to lose at the
conference?
Who are your closest allies? How could they help you at the conference?
MAPS
Poland in 1812 - http://www.conflicts.rem33.com/images/Poland/POL%201809-1812.jpg
The Confederation of the Rhine:
1812 - http://pds5.egloos.com/pds/200707/06/15/d0015015_0207521.png
1808 - http://pds5.egloos.com/pds/200707/06/15/d0015015_02074864.png
Europe in 1800 - http://www.euratlas.net/history/europe/1800/index.html
Europe in 1812 - http://www.studenthandouts.com/Assortment-01/Gallery-Pages/02.03Map-Europe-1812.html
Central Europe in 1812 http://www.chivalricorders.org/nobility/holyroman/images/map1812.jpg
11
http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/231186/Germany/58180/Results-of-the-Congressof-Vienna
12
http://www.atimes.com/atimes/Front_Page/EJ21Aa01.html