Giuseppe Mazzini, an Italian nationalist and republican, believed that a republican form of government would allow Italians to form a free and equal community of brothers, as opposed to being ruled by a foreign power such as Austria. He believed that a republican government, based on the principles of liberty, equality, and democracy, would give power to the people and allow them to govern themselves. Mazzini's vision was that a unified Italy, governed by its own people through a democratic republic, would break free from the grip of foreign rule and provide a more equitable and just society for all Italians. By giving the people a voice in government, Mazzini believed that they could work together to build a strong, sovereign nation and a more just society, free from the oppression of foreign rule.