Aristocracy in Europe, 1815-1914

by Dominic Lieven

Lieven (Russian politics and history and political science, London School of Economics) uses English, Russian, German, and French sources to examine the lifestyles and political roles of the English, Russian, and German aristocracies from the defeat of Napoleon to the outbreak of the First World War. Annotation copyright Book News, Inc. Portland, Or.

Genres: History, Nonfiction, Victorian

308 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1993

About the author

Dominic Lieven is Professor of Russian studies at the London School of Economics and Political Science, a Fellow of the British Academy and of Trinity College, Cambridge.

Reviews

[Michael Smith · Rating 4 out of 5]

The enobled upper class in the 19th century viewed the Industrial Revolution and (in Britain) the expansion of the franchise in quite a different light from the middle classes. To them, increased educational and occupational opportunities were an economic and social threat to their power and right to rule. Comparing the aristocracies in Great Britain, France, Germany, and Russia, the author investigates their "strategies" (rather too active a term, but it’s accepted jargon) and the ways they responded to the danger. What he finds, not surprisingly, is that each national group responded in its own way to the challenge from the lower classes in its own country. Even the most moss-bound, autocratic English lord could barely conceive of the literal power of life and death enjoyed by Russian noblemen over their serfs. By the First World War, the untitled middle classes, the self-made men — especially in Britain and Germany — had begun to rival the aristocracy in economic power and in some cases was actively infiltrating it through marriage and purchase of estates. On the other hand, the new class of millionaires included a few aristocratic magnates whose wealth was industrial, however ancient their titles. Lieven is a political economist with a strong background in Russian affairs and this is a thoroughly academic volume, complete with statistics and charts, but it’s an important work on the decline of aristocratic power.

[Luciano · Rating 3 out of 5]

3,5
Esta bien, en general trata de como los burgueses terminaron "reemplazando" a la aristocracia de la época. Pude entender mejor este tema.
Ahora, ¿Europa es Rusia, Inglaterra y Alemania? Había más monarquías en estos tiempos, aunque eran pauses muy débiles en comparación a estos 3 igual merecían su lugar. Esperaba algo del Imperio Austro-Húngaro. Otra cosa que esperaba era saber más sobre la educación de esta gente, pero mas que eso se habló de la instituciones, muy decepcionado esta parte.

[Stephen Lockett · Rating 3 out of 5]

I have always been a big supporter of societies and systems that advocate and prioritise meritocracy. Reading about the lifestyles, customs, habits and economic activities of aristocrats as well as their political influences makes me grateful I was born into a working class family in the 20th rather than the 19th century. For me this book seemed very thoroughly researched with many written accounts of 19th century travellers and socialites who had experienced first hand aristocratic life.