asc ism ▁ ▁" W inner ▁in ▁the ▁Diplom atic ▁Cont est ▁for ▁Germany " ▁ ▁" Per cept ive ▁But ▁Super f icial ▁T ink erer " ▁ ▁" En light ened ▁But ▁Th wart ed ▁Reform er " ▁ ▁" The ▁Dest ruct ive ▁Dem on ▁of ▁Austria " ▁ ▁" St ates man ▁in ▁T rag ic ▁Imp asse " ▁ ▁" Met tern ich ▁Gu ilty " ▁ ▁" Met tern ich ▁Not ▁Gu ilty " ▁ ▁Crit ic ism ▁Part icular ly ▁in ▁the ▁ 1 9 th ▁century , ▁Met tern ich ▁was ▁heavily ▁critic ised ▁as ▁the ▁man ▁who ▁prevent ed ▁Austria ▁and ▁the ▁rest ▁of ▁central ▁Europe ▁from ▁" develop ing ▁along ▁' normal ' ▁liberal ▁and ▁constitution al ▁lines ". ▁If ▁Met tern ich ▁had ▁not ▁stood ▁in ▁the ▁way ▁of ▁( in ▁their ▁view ) ▁progress , ▁Austria ▁might ▁have ▁reform ed , ▁de alt ▁with ▁the ▁problems ▁of ▁national ity ▁better , ▁and ▁the ▁First ▁World ▁War ▁may ▁never ▁have ▁happened . ▁Instead , ▁Met tern ich ▁fought ▁bitter ly ▁against ▁the ▁forces ▁of ▁liberal ism ▁and ▁national ism , ▁but ▁achieved ▁only ▁a ▁temporary ▁repr ieve . ▁Indeed , ▁Robin ▁O key , ▁a ▁critic ▁of ▁Met tern ich , ▁suggests ▁that ▁the ▁social ▁conserv at ism ▁Met tern ich ▁advoc ated ▁may ▁have ▁actually ▁been ▁counter - product ive ▁when ▁it ▁came ▁to ▁keeping ▁a ▁lid ▁on ▁national ist ▁sentiment ▁ ▁Moreover , ▁in ▁purs uit ▁of ▁this ▁un ach