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Book contents
- Frontmatter
- Contents
- List of maps
- Acknowledgments
- List of abbreviations
- Map 1 Geography and politics: Prussia and her neighbours in 1792
- Map 2 Geography and politics: Prussia and her neighbours in 1795
- Map 3 Geography and politics: Prussia and her neighbours in 1803
- 1 Introduction
- Part I The structures
- 2 The structure of Prussian politics during the early reign of Frederick William III
- 3 Problem areas of Prussian policy and politics: the centres of attention abroad, 1797–1804
- 4 Problem areas of Prussian policy and politics: the centres of attention at home, 1797–1804
- Part II The events
- Part III The responses
- Bibliography
- Index
4 - Problem areas of Prussian policy and politics: the centres of attention at home, 1797–1804
Published online by Cambridge University Press: 27 October 2009
- Frontmatter
- Contents
- List of maps
- Acknowledgments
- List of abbreviations
- Map 1 Geography and politics: Prussia and her neighbours in 1792
- Map 2 Geography and politics: Prussia and her neighbours in 1795
- Map 3 Geography and politics: Prussia and her neighbours in 1803
- 1 Introduction
- Part I The structures
- 2 The structure of Prussian politics during the early reign of Frederick William III
- 3 Problem areas of Prussian policy and politics: the centres of attention abroad, 1797–1804
- 4 Problem areas of Prussian policy and politics: the centres of attention at home, 1797–1804
- Part II The events
- Part III The responses
- Bibliography
- Index
Summary
The primacy of foreign policy: the French threat, fear of revolution and the reform of state and society
For a Prussian patriot it can be nothing less than highly pleasing to perceive the great advantages which his fatherland enjoys by virtue of this system [of neutrality]; this system has also provided the long years of tranquillity with which to restore the inner strengths of the state. While the other great empires exhausted and destroyed themselves in an interminable war, Prussia remained in the fortunate situation of being able to recuperate from her previous military exertions – an advantage which was, relatively speaking, increased by the fact that the other states continued to exhaust themselves. Prussia remained capable of cultivating all branches of her domestic administration and economy, her trades and manufactures. While those of many other countries sometimes entirely stagnated, Prussian trades and manufactures boomed; her trade and shipping flourished under the protection of her neutral flag – the only one in the whole of Europe during the last year.
Haugwitz memorandum, 2.4.1801, BerlinThroughout the Revolutionary and Napoleonic periods, Prussian statesmen were preoccupied with foreign-political issues; internal affairs were of secondary importance. Indeed, compared to Belgium, Poland and France herself, Prussia was a haven of domestic tranquillity; the severest threats to the monarchy all came from the outside world. Yet even in Prussia foreign policy did not take place in a vacuum. First of all, there was always the danger that local malcontents would make common cause with the monarchy's external enemies.
- Type
- Chapter
- Information
- The Impact of NapoleonPrussian High Politics, Foreign Policy and the Crisis of the Executive, 1797–1806, pp. 115 - 156Publisher: Cambridge University PressPrint publication year: 1997