History Essay on the topic "The Long European 19th century: the century of the individual?"

Cleon Orina
Professor's Name
History
18th December 2020
THE LONG EUROPEAN 19TH CENTURY: THE CENTURY OF THE INDIVIDUAL
The 19th century which spanned from 1800 to 1900, saw a raft of political, social, and economic changes in Europe. It was a period when Europe had just moved from the old world of enlightened monarchy, despotism, and archaic preindustrial revolution modes of production. It was closer to the old enlightenment era than the modern world at the beginning of the century.
The social changes that marred Europe during the 19th century, like abolishing slavery, which was extensively championed by Great Britain, the two industrial revolutions; first and second, saw the world achieve massive urbanization progress. The industrial production ensured an increase in output more than double, and there was profit maximization and growth. Most of the dominant Islamic empires, apart from the Ottoman, got dissolved and replaced with European Imperialism to bring about the new order.
The industrial revolution ended numerous political, economic, and political ideologies practiced in Europe for several centuries. The Renaissance period, which spanned from the 14th century to the 17th century, was replaced with modern ways. It was a rebirth of European Middle Ages artistic, cultural, economic, and political practices. The era encouraged the reestablishment of classical literature, art, and philosophy.
Before the beginning of the 19th century, the dominant economic and political ideologies, Socialism, Classism, and Renaissance, saw a rise to the new approach of the Individual. As Europe struggled to stamp its foot on industrialization, territorial dominance, and a transparent and stable political governance, individuals emerged who felt to occupy the vacuum and champion the lead. There were numerous revolutions and wars across Europe as countries formed alliances to fight political dominance. During this period, ranging from France, Britain, Germany, Russia, Austria, Prussia, and even the Ottoman Empire produced individual leaders who championed individualistic interests instead of national interests that they had posed to defend initially.
Although a leader might have pure intentions initially at the beginning of the rule, absolute power corrupts the mind absolutely as it is widely known. In "The Prince (1513)", Niccolò Machiavelli portrays a grim world in which the Individual must exploit the weakness of others unless he falls victim to its indignities. The 19th century marked a survival period for the fittest; the strong would take over power, rule and dominate their subjects with total submission.
It became a new normal during the long, illustrious 19th century in Europe for individuals to champion economic and political courses for their countries and benefited themselves. Indeed, the 19th century was a century of the Individual in Europe. The Individual did not only mean the literal meaning of a person, but the individual approach also referred to autonomous and sovereign countries trying to forge ahead and gain selfish dominance and selfishly accrue more wealth. The subsequent paragraphs give chronological analysis and accounts of the various situations that the Individual dominated the culmination of the...