Short Essay on the Critical Evaluation of the Vienna Congress

The Vienna Congress was convened with attractive declarations high morals and principles. It was declared that the diplomats at Congress would make sincere attempts for the reconstruction reorganisation of the political system of Europe.

It was expected that settlement of the Vienna Congress would prove valuable for establishment of a durable peace based upon a just division of power. But after a critical study of the decisions taken at Vienna, it may be concluded that:

1. The decisions were not based on any sound principles. Although three fundamental principles were laid down order to help ease the work of the Congress, these principles too were overlooked by the diplomats.

For example, it decided that the rights of those rulers, who had been deprived of their thrones by Napoleon, should be re-established in their respective kingdoms. This was called the principle legitimacy.

This principle had not been applied in some stat like Naples, Saxony and Genoa. In this respect Lord Grey criticised Lord Castlereagh, the British delegate to the Vienna Congress and said:

“Exceeded everything of treachery and fraud which I have yet witnessed in that new diplomatic school of which the noble Lord, Lord Castlereagh might be considered as the founder.

In fact, the Vienna Congress was not actuated by any principle. The statesmen were steeped in selfishness. In the words of C. D. Hazen:

“It is impossible to discover in these negotiations the operation of any lofty principle. Self-interest is the key to this welter of bargains and agreements. Not that these title brokers neglected to attempt to convince Europe of the nobility of their endeavours.”

Each representative was eager to grab as many provinces as he could. It is, therefore, said that “the Congress of Vienna was not a ‘congress’ at all, but it was merely the meeting of the victors to divide the spoils of the vanquished.”

2. The Congress ignored the principle and feeling of nationality. The members introduced many major changes in the map of Europe according to their own will.

They divided many states and annexed them to one another without keeping into their minds the great idea of nationality. The annexation of Belgium to Holland, Lombardy and Venetia to Austria, Norway to Sweden, and Finland to Russia was not based on the principles of nationality.

In the same way, Italy and Germany were divided into different small states mostly under the control of Austria. All these decisions were taken against the principle of nationality.” The diplomats reorganised Europe in an aristocratic way, as if it were their own property.

C.D. Hazen has rightly remarked: “The Congress of Vienna was a congress of aristocrats, to whom the ideas of nationality and democracy as proclaimed by the French Revolution were incomprehen­sible or loathsome.

The rulers rearranged Europe according to their own desires, disposing of it as if it were their own personal property.”

3. The representatives of almost all the countries of Europe came to Vienna to participate in the conference, but those members did not represent the common people of their respective countries.

In fact, they were the rulers themselves or the representatives of the rulers. No representative of the people of any country was invited in this conference. While taking the decisions, the Congress ignored the feelings of the common people.

The delegates did not respect the rights of the peoples. Consequently, the decisions could not remain everlasting. In the words of Hazen:

“They witnessed the unedifying scramble of the conquerors for the spoils of victory. They saw the monarchs of Europe, who for years had been denouncing Napoleon for not respecting the rights of peoples, acting precisely in the same way, whenever it suited their pleasures.”

4. The Congress ignored the feelings of the revolution. The feelings of liberty, equality and fraternity were quite rampant in the European countries. The diplomats at the Vienna. Congress had promised to crush these revolutionary feelings.

They, therefore, ignored these principles while undertaking great work of reconstruction and reorganisation of Europe. This made the settlement temporary.

In fact, no settlement could be permanent under those circumstances without taking into consideration the revolutionary feelings.

That is why, the decisions of the Vienna Congress were not reorganised by the people of the European countries and they expressed their displeasure in the form of the revolutionary movements. An eminent historian has rightly observed:

“In all these territorial readjustments there were little that was permanent and much that was temporary.”

It is, therefore, generally said that “the Congress of Vienna made mistakes both of omission and commission.” In spite of all these errors and mistakes, this conference proved very useful in many ways such as:

(i) It marks the beginning of a new era. It was the first occasion when the representatives of almost all the countries of Europe had gathered at one place to solve the international problem.

It gave birth to the feeling of international cooperation and brotherhood. In the words of Dr. Satyaketu Vidyalankar: “It was the first occasion that all the powers of Europe had signed on the single document of compromise.

It taught them the lesson of working together in a perfect spirit of cooperation. They could come to an understanding by means of negotiations. It was an important step towards the dismantling of the chaotic conditions of Europe.”

In the same way, J. A. R. Marriot has observed:

“Although the work of the Congress of Vienna was reactionary nonetheless it marks not only the close of an old epoch but the beginning of a new.”

(ii) Vienna Congress saved Europe from the continental wars for a period of about forty years. The main objective of the Congress was to establish peace in Europe.

Nobody can say that it could not achieve its main object. No war was fought for about forty years, i.e., up to the Crimean War of 1854-56.

(iii) It abolished the inhuman system of slavery. The slave system was in vogue in whole of Europe. The diplomats of the Vienna Congress passed a resolution against this system and made appeal to abolish slavery. This was, no doubt, a great reform which was accomplished.

(iv) Lord Castlereagh, the British delegate in the Congress of Vienna, proved the practicability and sincerity of the attempts made in the Conference. He said: “The Congress of Vienna was not assembled for the discussion of moral principles but for great practical purposes, to establish effectual provisions for the general security.”