Is France a Failure?

     Were the revolutions of 1830 and 1848 really failures as many historians have concluded? During 1830 and 1848 revolts were a trend throughout Europe, all for various reasons. To learn about these breakouts our class was split into groups and then assigned a revolt. We read primary sources to teach us about these rebellions and created short quizzes for the other groups to take. We used our devices to make quizzes on the app, Survey Monkey. By reading the primary sources and taking the quizzes we learned that not all the revolts were highly successful, but should they be considered a failure?

     My group focused on the France 1830 revolt. The French rebels wanted to remove Charles X from power. His ideas of absolutism were not admired. The rebels were also not fond of Charles X's decision to limit the rights of the press. In the "July Ordinances" Charles wrote, "The liberty of the periodical press is suspended." The rebels were upset that their rights were being taken away and wanted a ruler who was for the people. After taking over the streets of Paris the rebels got what they wanted. Charles X abdicated the crown and fled to England. The "Orleanist Manifesto" declared, "Charles X can no longer return to Paris... The Duke of Orleans is a citizen king," The Duke of Orleans, Louis Phillipe, was for the people. In this revolt the rebels got what they wanted. Charles X was removed from power and they got their rights restored by Louis Phillipe. Though the French people did not gain full freedom they still were partially successful. The France 1830 revolt should most definitely not be considered a failure.

Check out my group's survey!
https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/T7WPJNT

     The France 1830 revolt was successful, but what about the other revolts of 1830 and 1848? Is it fair to say that the revolutions of 1830 and 1848 were failures? I believe that these revolutions were not failures. Though they were not all fully successful or like the Decembrist revolt not successful at all, as a whole the revolutions of 1830 and 1848 were not a failure. The France 1848 revolt was partly successful. The rebels were able to get the extended suffrage that they wanted, but only wealthy people were able to vote. This is not a failure. Though not everyone was pleased the rebels were able to get what they wanted. The revolt of the Frankfurt Assembly was only partially negative. Many people were put in jail as a result of this revolt, but no change was made. It was not a complete failure in the sense that their conditions didn't get worse than they were before the revolution and they didn't have rights taken away from them. This revolution had a few negatives, but it was not a complete failure, therefore this is another revolt that would not contribute to the revolts of 1830 and 1848 being a failure. One last revolt that supports this idea is the 1848 Hungary revolt. This revolt was neutrally good and bad. The Hungarians were able to get rid of Metternich, but in the end their revolutionary leaders fled Hungary. Only one revolt in the revolts of 1830 and 1848 can be classified as a complete failure. I do no agree that the revolts of 1830 and 1848 that happened across Europe are failures.