Formal Application - The United States of Greater Austria:

[hider][b][u]Government[/u][/b]

[b]Name:[/b] Vereinigte Staaten von Großösterreich (United States of Greater Austria) VSGO
[b]Flag/Badge:[/b]
[img]https://i.redd.it/vwiufsycv9q01.png[/img]
[b]Head of State:[/b] Prinz-Präsident Klemens von Metternich
[b]Head of Government:[/b] Reichskanzler Franz Anton von Kolowrat-Liebsteinsky
[b]Ideology:[/b] Liberal

[b][u]Military[/u][/b]

[b]Army Numbers:[/b] 350.000
[b]Navy Numbers:[/b] 
- 1 Ship of the line
- 5 Frigates
- 5 Frigates
- 8 Schooners
- 2 Paddle Steamers
[b]Army Equipment:[/b] 
[b]Naval Ship Types:[/b] 

[b][u]History, Expansion, and Economics[/u][/b]

[b]History:[/b]
Metternich, the architect of the concert of Europe, was a masterful diplomat that managed to keep Austria relevant following the Napoleonic wars despite an arguably dismal military performance from the empire. His objective was simple: Maintain the status quo and keep Austria relevant in these changing times. This was easier said than done and when Ferdinand I, a speech impeded epileptic, took the throne in 1835, more power was delegated to him and he realized he could either save the monarchy or make Austria into a durable entity. With the raising nationalism and revolution in the air, old absolute monarchies were ill fit to rule over a large multi-ethnic empire. In this point of divergence, he decided to ditch the monarchy and collaborate with the liberals to preempt the upcoming storm.

A master negotiator, it was easy for him to rally people on his side by stating the obvious: Napoleon had shattered the old order and while the tides of liberalism had recessed, just like the tides, they were sure to come back. The elite could either drown under this wave or try and ride it to greater heights and attempt to harness the energies of liberalism to achieve success on the European and world stage.

Turning Austria around was achieved with extreme ease, all the minorities were clamoring for freedom and reform and so chose the path of least resistance: Metternich`s path. The Emperor relied entirely on the man and trusted him when he told this was the only way: A Federal and Democratic Austrian constitutional monarchy. The monarchy part would quickly take a dive and Ferdinand was forced to abdicate, so the Habsburg name may go down quietly in history as that of diplomats and reformers and so that some privileges may be retained by the aristocrats, there were no breaks on this train anymore.

The great experiment has been a wild success, the liberalization allowing for greater freedom and development while the Maestro of Europe held the economy in a tight leash with standardization efforts and making german the default langua franca of the Union, but despite how the Prince-President speaks with confidence of the future of the Balkans and how this country is a model for the basis of a united Europe, the truth is no one knows where this is going and that no one has gone down the road of progress so fast. Will this be truly a success story that will inspire mankind? Or will this wind of change be too strong for the fabric of this nation to handle, smashing it to bits?

So far, two things have held this enterprise together: Metternich`s personal charisma, and a rapidly raising quality of life for everyone in the empire, closing the gap with germany and france year after year. Everyone is mostly friendly right now, embracing each other as friends as everyone enjoys the fruits of prosperity, but can this friendship last when things don`t go so well?

[b]Territory:[/b] 
[img]https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/b/be/Ethnographic_map_of_austrian_monarchy_czoernig_1855.jpg[/img]

[b]Economic Description:[/b]
Bohemia is the economic power-house of the union and industrializing at a pace rivaling the rest of the major powers thanks to its rich coal and iron deposits, likewise there is a growing fashion and ship-building in north Italy while Austria proper is an important financial and cultural center. The Balkan parts of the region are in comparison backward but are seeing quick development, especially around the Adriatic and rivers that can be used to facilitate the transport of resources around. The government generally keeps a hands free approach on things, but the armament industry is a protected area of the economy as it is seen of vital strategic importance for the Union to be able to produce its own arms.

[b]Historical Claims:[/b] 
Officially, there are only disputes with the Ottoman Empire on the subject of the Balkans and minor things with the Italian states. Unofficially however, the nationalist fervor sweeping through the Union has led many local governments to make quasi-claims of their own and petition the Federal government to seek territorial expansion in states where their own minority exists in a subjugated state. Slavic-Pan-Nationalism in the Balkans, the Polish state wishing to expend itself to include all Poles, including those in Russia and Germany, the State of Venice seeing itself as a contender to form Italy and many german liberals saying all of germany would be better enjoying the freedoms of the Union rather than be under the yoke of Prussia. Some, again, think there should be a 'United States of Europe', but these are the minority.[/hider]