The new contours of public life

In the months following the barricade fighting of February–March 1848, a new space opened up for political activity in Europe. The\ liberal governments coming to power formally granted the classic civil liberties: freedom of speech, of the press, and of association and assembly. Even more significant as a guarantee of these freedoms in practice was the general weakening of state authority as a consequence of the revolutionary events, and the massive and widespread social conflict following them, which had the effect of making repressive actions, no matter what their legal basis or lack of it, substantially more difficult to carry out. In this chapter, we will explore some of these new possibilities for public life, go on to consider the different forms of association and organization that emerged and the people who took part in them, and conclude with a discussion of the long-term trends of political development over the course of the revolution.

The parliament as political focus

By the summer of 1848, Europe was crammed with parliaments. In the east and south of the continent, the very existence of such branches of government was a novelty. Everywhere, though, the parliaments of the year of revolution claimed significantly greater powers than their pre-1848 predecessors. In particular, many of the legislative bodies elected in 1848 were constituent assemblies, chosen for the purpose of laying down the basic rules of future political life.