Social Science — CBSE Class 10 board question

Giuseppe Mazzini played a crucial role in inspiring the unification of Italy through his revolutionary ideas and organisations.

1. Early Revolutionary: Born in Genoa (1805), Mazzini joined the secret society of the Carbonari and was exiled in 1831 for attempting a revolution in Liguria.

1. Founded Secret Societies: He established Young Italy in Marseilles and Young Europe in Berne, uniting like-minded nationalists from Poland, France, Italy and German states.

1. Vision of Unified Italy: Mazzini believed God intended nations as natural units of mankind. He argued Italy must be forged into a single unified republic, ending its existence as a patchwork of small states and kingdoms.

1. Wider Influence: Following his model, secret societies spread across Germany, France, Switzerland and Poland.

1. Fear Among Conservatives: His relentless opposition to monarchy alarmed conservatives. Metternich called him "the most dangerous enemy of our social order."

Though Mazzini laid the ideological foundation, the actual unification (1859–1870) was completed by Cavour and Garibaldi.

Source: Chapter 1 — Nationalism in Europe, Section 2.4 The Revolutionaries

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• Examiners expect 5 distinct, well-labelled points for a 5-mark answer — avoid writing one long paragraph.
• Always include specific details: dates (1805, 1831, 1833), places (Genoa, Marseilles, Berne), and names of organisations (Young Italy, Young Europe).
• The Metternich quote is a high-value detail — include it.
• A brief concluding line linking Mazzini to the broader unification story shows higher-order thinking and fetches full marks.
• Do not write about Garibaldi or Cavour in detail — this question is specifically about Mazzini.