- Congress of Vienna (1815): After Napoleon’s defeat, Austria remained the dominant German power, but Prussia gained important territory in the Rhineland and Westphalia
- Prussia’s strengths: Prussia had a strong, disciplined army and new industrial resources from its western lands, laying the foundation for growth.
- Austria’s position: Austria controlled the German Confederation and chaired the Federal Diet at Frankfurt, but it was a multi-ethnic empire with internal problems and slower industrial growth.
- Carlsbad Decrees (1819): Austria, led by Metternich, repressed nationalism and liberalism, which kept Austria in control in the short term but created resentment.
- Zollverein (1834): Prussia created a customs union (no tariffs between member states), which most German states joined (but Austria stayed out). This boosted Prussia’s influence and sidelined Austria.
- Economic growth: The Zollverein helped Prussia lead in trade, railways, and industry, strengthening its role as the economic leader of Germany.
- Austria excluded: Austria was left outside the Zollverein, partly because its empire’s economy was weaker and it resisted free trade. This damaged Austria’s influence in German affairs.
- Revolutions of 1848: Both Austria and Prussia faced revolts. Austria was weakened but recovered under conservative rule; Prussia showed its growing strength even though Frederick William IV rejected the Frankfurt crown.
- Crimean War (1854–56): Austria stayed neutral and lost Russian support, while Prussia kept its options open. Austria became isolated diplomatically.
- Austro-Prussian rivalry (1860s): By the 1860s, Prussia’s economy and military were stronger, Austria was weaker and isolated, and the stage was set for the Austro-Prussian War of 1866.
Note
- Austria's decline was not solely due to external pressures but also internal challenges, such as managing a diverse empire and slow economic modernization.
Key Differences Between Prussia and Austria
| Aspect | Prussia | Austria |
|---|---|---|
| Governance | Centralized under the monarchy | Decentralized, reliant on local elites |
| Military | Strong, disciplined standing army | Diverse forces, less coordinated |
| Economy | Focused on industrialization | Predominantly agrarian |
| Social Structure | Integrated nobility into military | Nobility resisted reforms |
Common Mistake
- Students often focus only on politics and wars, forgetting the key role of the Zollverein and industrial growth in shifting power to Prussia.
- Austria remained powerful until the 1860s; it declined relative to Prussia, but it was not “finished” after 1815.
Self review
- Evaluate the importance of the Zollverein in shifting the balance of power from Austria to Prussia between 1815 and 1866.
- To what extent did economic factors explain the rise of Prussia and the decline of Austria in the period 1815–1866?
- “Prussia’s rise was due more to Austria’s mistakes than to its own strengths.” Discuss.
