Book contents
- Frontmatter
- Contents
- Preface
- Abbreviations
- Introduction
- Chapter I Political opinions in Sicily: April–June 1860
- Chapter II Cavour and the diplomats: April–June
- Chapter III La Farina and Crispi: June
- Chapter IV Arguments for and against annexation
- Chapter V Arguments over ways and means
- Chapter VI Crispi loses the first round: June
- Chapter VII Cavour loses the second round: July
- Chapter VIII Cavour adjusts his policy: July
- Chapter IX Depretis begins his prodictatorship: July
- Chapter X Cavour plans a revolt at Naples: July
- Chapter XI Cavour fails at Naples: August
- Chapter XII Political differences in Sicily: August
- Chapter XIII Cavour forces Depretis to a choice: 1–8 September
- Chapter XIV Depretis fails to persuade Garibaldi: 8–14 September
- Chapter XV Garibaldi succeeds at Naples: 1–15 September
- Chapter XVI Cavour breaks with Garibaldi: September
- Chapter XVII The radicals at bay: September
- Chapter XVIII Mordini the new prodictator: 17–25 September
- Chapter XIX Further controversy over annexation: September–October
- Chapter XX Mordini summons an assembly: 5 October
- Chapter XXI Pallavicino fights for a plebiscite: 8 October
- Chapter XXII Parliament supports Cavour: October
- Chapter XXIII Mordini changes his mind: 9–13 October
- Chapter XXIV Garibaldi makes his decision: 9–13 October
- Chapter XXV The plebiscite in Sicily: October
- Chapter XXVI The doubtful significance of the vote: October–November
- Chapter XXVII Cavour's government in the south: November–December
- Chapter XXVIII Conclusion
- Index
Chapter X - Cavour plans a revolt at Naples: July
Published online by Cambridge University Press: 30 October 2009
- Frontmatter
- Contents
- Preface
- Abbreviations
- Introduction
- Chapter I Political opinions in Sicily: April–June 1860
- Chapter II Cavour and the diplomats: April–June
- Chapter III La Farina and Crispi: June
- Chapter IV Arguments for and against annexation
- Chapter V Arguments over ways and means
- Chapter VI Crispi loses the first round: June
- Chapter VII Cavour loses the second round: July
- Chapter VIII Cavour adjusts his policy: July
- Chapter IX Depretis begins his prodictatorship: July
- Chapter X Cavour plans a revolt at Naples: July
- Chapter XI Cavour fails at Naples: August
- Chapter XII Political differences in Sicily: August
- Chapter XIII Cavour forces Depretis to a choice: 1–8 September
- Chapter XIV Depretis fails to persuade Garibaldi: 8–14 September
- Chapter XV Garibaldi succeeds at Naples: 1–15 September
- Chapter XVI Cavour breaks with Garibaldi: September
- Chapter XVII The radicals at bay: September
- Chapter XVIII Mordini the new prodictator: 17–25 September
- Chapter XIX Further controversy over annexation: September–October
- Chapter XX Mordini summons an assembly: 5 October
- Chapter XXI Pallavicino fights for a plebiscite: 8 October
- Chapter XXII Parliament supports Cavour: October
- Chapter XXIII Mordini changes his mind: 9–13 October
- Chapter XXIV Garibaldi makes his decision: 9–13 October
- Chapter XXV The plebiscite in Sicily: October
- Chapter XXVI The doubtful significance of the vote: October–November
- Chapter XXVII Cavour's government in the south: November–December
- Chapter XXVIII Conclusion
- Index
Summary
Cavour was never again to be so passive as he had been when the Thousand first set out. Thereafter, however much he may have been on occasion playing second fiddle to Garibaldi, he always had, if not a positive policy, at least some hypotheses for a policy. The chief difficulty is to disentangle these various hypotheses; for Cavour instinctively tried to keep his freedom of manoeuvre so as to be prepared for any eventuality. He had to be ready to accept Garibaldi's success, but also to disown his failure; to accept annexation of the south, but also to score any point against what were called—still with a pejorative connotation—the italianissimi.
Throughout June and July his main object was to see that the Sicilian revolution avoided the two extremes of failure or overmuch success; and on occasion he was able to contribute materially towards preserving this nice balance. But it was a delicate and dangerous task. Garibaldi's failure would not have been an unmitigated disaster, for it would have arrested the revolution, and given Cavour the several years he sought to consolidate the existing kingdom of northern Italy. Yet public opinion in Italy would not lightly have forgiven Cavour for allowing its hero to perish, and he would have hopelessly alienated the radical element in Italian politics which he relied on being alternately his stalking-horse, his scapegoat, and the combustible tinder and ignition spark needed for the next insurrection.
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- Cavour and Garibaldi 1860A Study in Political Conflict, pp. 129 - 143Publisher: Cambridge University PressPrint publication year: 1985