Reasons for the failure of the 1848 revolts

• There was a lack of long-lasting widespread support for the revolts
• The Confederation's majority peasant population only briefly supported them due to the threat of famine
• Peasants were not engaged by political nationalism so having been quickly given socio-economic concessions by their conservative masters & influenced by the Catholic Church in the southern states, they largely remained loyal to their monarchs
• Cholera epidemics in the revolt's urban epicentres killed enthusiasm in 1849
• Radical republican violence saw the middle class gravitate back towards conservatism
• Moderate liberals crushed an attempted republican revolt in Baden in Apr. 1848
• The Frankfurt Parliament suffered from slow decision making caused by internal political divisions between radical & moderate liberals & weak leadership from von Gagern
• Frankfurt parliament lacked its own army, could not impose taxes & its decisions over the Industrial Code & Malmo swiftly squandered the support of urban workers & more radical nationalists
• In comparison, the Confederation's monarchs retained control of their armies & regained their confidence once Habsburg control of Vienna was restored in Oct. 1848
• Only King Ludwig of Bavaria was successfully removed by the revolts
• Prussia forcibly crushed revolts in Saxony, the Bavarian Palatinate & Baden in May-Jun 1849