Question

Describe the explosive conditions that prevailed in the Balkans after 1871.

Answer 1

Hint: By the last quarter of the 19th-century nationalism in Europe was no longer restricted to its ideal state liberal and democratic sentiment. During this period many nationalist groups became intolerant towards each other and were ready to fight a war. The same sentiment was manipulated by major European powers to further their own imperialist aims. The most serious nationalist tension erupted in the Balkan region of Europe.

Complete answer: The most explosive conditions prevailed in Europe in 1871 in the area called the Balkans. It was a region of diverse geographical and ethnic states comprising modern-day Greece, Bulgaria, Macedonia, Albania, Serbia, Slovenia, Croatia, Romania, Bosnia-Herzegovina and Montenegro who were broadly known as Slavs. The tensions in the region of the Balkans erupted with the spread of ideas of romantic nationalism together with the disintegration of the Ottoman Empire which earlier ruled the Balkans. These two things together made the region very explosive. The Ottoman Empire had ruled all through the 19th century and sought to strengthen itself through internal reforms and modernization but one by one European subject nationalists broke away from its control and rejected it and demanded their freedom from the empire. The Balkans people claimed independence and political rights based on their history to prove their independence from foreign powers. Therefore all Balkan States demanded their own style of freedom with their thought of struggles to win back their lost long independence. This difference in Slavic nationalities to define their identity and independence became another issue of tension in the Balkan region.
The major issue in the Balkan region erupted because of the jealousy between the Balkan states in the hope to gain more territory at the expense of each other.

Note: Matters become further complicated because the Balkans became the region of big power rivalry. During this time there were European powers of trade-in colonies which made the region divided into big powers like Germany, England, Russia, and Austro Hungary who were keen on expanding their territories and controlling other States which finally made the conditions worse in the region and led to the eruption of the first world war.