Significance

The Congress of Vienna kept Europe out of major war for almost a century (until 1914). But it failed to contain the political ideas the Revolution had unleashed. Liberal and nationalist movements continued to grow underground, erupting in the Revolutions of 1848 (which mostly failed) and finally succeeding in the unification of Italy and Germany by 1871.

<mark>Enduring issue connection: The Congress is a classic case for the enduring issue of how rulers respond to the desire for change. Metternich's system tried to lock change out. It bought time but did not last. Compare to: the Bourbon Restoration, Tsarist Russia's resistance to reform, Qing China's resistance to Western pressure, the failure of the Articles of Confederation, and other cases throughout the course where conservative responses to change ultimately failed.</mark>