The diffeferent revolutions reverberated across the globe and affected the course of history og many nations. Nationalism, the people's sense of belonging together as a nation, grew in many countries as a consequence of oppressive policies and subhuman conditions in the colonies. Democracy, in the other hand, was chosen for its deal on truth, freedom, and form of governance.

Nationalism and Democracy In Europe

Growth of Democratic Policies in Britain. Many democratic policies started in Britain beginning in the 19th century. Among these are the following:

1. Democratic arts, such as the Reform Act of 1832 passed by parliament through the leadership of Earl Gray, which gave most middle-class men the right to vote; the Municipal Corporation Act of 1835 which set up town councils presided over by a mayor;

2. Universal Suffrage, as shown by the abolition of property qualifications to vote in 1884, and by giving British women over 21 the right to vote in 1921, making them equal with British men;

3. Changes in Cabinet Structure, such as the assumption to power of Britain's first Prime Minister, Robert Walpole, effectively easing out the King to ceremonial functions only; and the Parliamentary Act of 1911, which denied the veto power to the House of Lords, effectively giving more power to the House of Commons.

Empires versus Republics in France. France had a much more difficult time adjusting to the ideals of democracy. In the time between the chaos, various strongmen would come out and establish their empires, such as that of Napoleon and the first French Empire. France would go on to have succeeding empires as well.

From the disorder of the Revolutions of 1848 came out Louis Napoleon Bonaparte, a nephew of Emperor Napoleon I, who established the Second French Empire in 1852. He would initially be successful as an emperor, but would later be plagued by miscalculations in battles with othet nations, eventually causing his downfall and that of his empire in 1870. Upon the surrender of Napoleon, the Third French Republic was proclaimed in France with Adolphe Thiers as the president.

The Unification of Germany. In the 19th century, there were several German states fighting for their own interests. In 1862, the King Wilhelm I of Prussia appointed Otto von Bismarck as Prime Minister. Bismarck has the goal of unifying the German states with Prussia as the leading power.

After strenghtening the Prussian Army, Bismarck fought three short wars: the Danish War (1864), the Seven Weeks War (1866) and the Franco-Prussian War (1870-71). Prussia was victorious in these wars, and these resulted in additional territories for the state, as well as weakening the power of Austria, one of the German states. During the Franco-Prussian war, the German states joined forces under the leadership of the Prussian king. In 1871, Wilhelm was crowned as the first German emperor and Bismarck became chancellor. The setup would result to a two-house parliament for Germany, and eventually it would take its place as one of the great nations of the world.

Nationalism In Asia and Colonies

Various countries in Asia also experienced the growth of nationalism and the pursuit of democracy. Among these are the following:

India

Because of harsh British rule, Indian nationalism flourished. A.O. Hume founded the Indian National Congress in 1885. The Congress served as the forum for debates and complaints. A radical section of the Congress, however, resorted to attacks on the British. This made the British stricter in the enforcement of their laws.

In the 20th century, a peace full but more effective leader in the name of Mohandas Gandhi came to the fore. As the British curled civil liberties, many Indians were oppressed and hundreds even died. But Gandhi led the national movement for liberation through the concept of nonviolent resistance. In time, the peaceful movement gained a large following.

Gandhi was later supported by Jawaharial Nehru, a young leader. After the world wars, India would earn the right to be independent with Nehru becoming India's first prime minister

Philippines

The second half of the 19th century saw the Philippines struggling to free itself from Spain, its colonial master. A group of young, educated Filipinos would meet in Spain to petition its government to provide reforms in the administration of the Philippines. Among these leaders are Jose Rizal, a bright doctor, artist, and writer, and the equally adept writers Marcelo H. Del Pilar and Graciano Lopez Jaena. Their writings would fail in convincing Spanish authorities to listen to them, but these would serve as the spark for the common Filipinos to rebet against Spanish.

In 1892, Andres Bonifacio founded a secret revolutionary group called Katipunan which will spearhead the Philippine Revolution agaist the Spaniards in 1896, This culminated in the proclamation of the Philippine Independence in 1898. This would be short-lived, however, as the United States would colonize the Islands at the beginning of the 20th century.

French Indochina

The countries of Laos, Cambodia, and Vietnam were colonized by France since the 1800s and the territories were termed the French Indochina. As the countries struggled for their independence, France asserted and fought on, leading to protracted wars. In time, they were able to gain independence from France.