Characteristics of conservatism, liberalism, nationalism and socialism

19th century conservatives wanted to conserve and preserve the historic traditions of government and society. For societies like France and elsewhere on the continent of Europe, that meant going back to monarchs in control of government, as things had been before the French Revolution.

Liberals were those who favored liberty for individuals, with greater rights and freedoms. So the various answers that spoke of voting rights, elected parliaments, and democratic change -- those all were measures favored by liberals in the 19th century, not conservatives.

Nationalism was a 19th century movement that had the ability to attach itself to either conservative or liberal agendas.  In France, feelings of national unity rallied the people to the cause of the French Republic as a liberal form of government.  In Russia, on the other hand, nationalistic pride went hand-in-hand with staunchly conservative and autocratic forms of government.   In the German states, liberals were the ones who first pushed to form a united German nation.  However, it was a more conservative approach under Otto von Bismarck of Prussia that actually accomplished the unification of Germany.  So nationalism can be associated with either liberal or conservative causes -- or both.

Socialism was another ideology with 19th century roots.  Socialism believes members of a society are to contribute to each other's needs and provide help to one another.  The earliest socialist efforts were somewhat small-sized communities or groups that lived and worked together cooperatively, such as the factory town reformed by Robert Owen at New Lanark, Scotland.  In the modern world, socialism generally means national measures through taxes and government programs so that those with more resources in terms of private property provide aid to those less well off.