German History, 1770-1866 (Oxford History of Modern Europe)

This Volume In The Oxford History Of Modern Europe Is A Comprehensive Study Of German History From 1770 To 1866. It Examines The Manner In Which The Development Of Bureaucratic And Participatory Institutions Changed The Character And Capacities Of Governments Throughout German Europe; The Economic Expansion In Which The Productivity Of Both Agriculture And Manufacturing Increased, Commercial Activity Intensified, And Urban Growth Was Encouraged; And The Rising Culture Of Print, Which Sustained New Developments In Literature, Philosophy, And Scholarship, And Helped Transform The Rules And Procedures Of Everyday Life. These Developments, It Is Argued, Led To An Erosion Of The Traditional Values And Institutions, And Played An Important Part In The Transformation Of German Politics, Society, And Culture. Rather Than Viewing The Development Of A Prussian-led Nation State As Natural Or Inevitable, The Book Emphasizes Alternative Forces Of Unity And Division Which Existed Up Until The Austro-prussian War Of 1866. Eighteenth-century Politics -- Eighteenth-century Society -- Eighteenth-century Culture -- Confrontation And Defeat -- Mastering The Revolution -- Culture In The Revolutionary Era -- Restoration Politics, 1815-1830 -- Growth And Stagnation In German Society -- The Cultural Establishment And Its Critics -- The Growth Of Participatory Politics, 1830-1848 -- Revolution And Reaction -- Society In The Age Of The Burgertum -- Culture In The Age Of The Burgertum -- Political Opportunities And Alternatives. By James J. Sheehan. Includes Bibliographical References (p. [919]-956) And Index. Professor Sheehan gives an extensive account of the social, cultural, and political developments in German history up to the Austro-Prussian war of 1866. The only study of the period available in English, this uniquely authoritative book will provide an indispensable guide to everyone interested modern European history.