Socialism and the Socialism and the Development of the Working Development of the Working

ClassClass

Bad Times and Good Times for Bad Times and Good Times for European Socialists after 1848European Socialists after 1848

I. The Decline of Socialist Ideas I. The Decline of Socialist Ideas in the 1850’s and 1860’sin the 1850’s and 1860’s

II. Marx’s Criticism of CapitalismII. Marx’s Criticism of Capitalism

Elaborated in Elaborated in Das KapitalDas Kapital (1867)(1867)

Capitalism would self-Capitalism would self-destruct due to internal destruct due to internal contradictionscontradictions

The Labor Theory of The Labor Theory of ValueValue

Overproduction and Overproduction and Eventual Destruction of Eventual Destruction of the Bourgeoisiethe Bourgeoisie

Abolition of Private Abolition of Private Property and the Property and the Disappearance of the Disappearance of the State and GovernmentState and Government

III. The Formation of a Mature III. The Formation of a Mature Industrial Working ClassIndustrial Working Class

Definition of a “Mature” Definition of a “Mature” Working ClassWorking Class

The Effect of the The Effect of the Maturation of the Working Maturation of the Working ClassClass

Massive Drinking Massive Drinking Problem began to Problem began to decreasedecrease

Family Life became more Family Life became more stablestable

Instability remained, but Instability remained, but was more the exception was more the exception than the rulethan the rule

IV. Increase in the Standard of IV. Increase in the Standard of Living from 1850-1900Living from 1850-1900

Real wages rose steadily Real wages rose steadily for factory workersfor factory workers

Improvements in diet Improvements in diet increased physical healthincreased physical health

Better housing became Better housing became available to at least available to at least skilled workersskilled workers

More recreational More recreational opportunities were opportunities were availableavailable

V. Still, Widespread Poverty and V. Still, Widespread Poverty and HardshipHardship

Very few factory workers Very few factory workers were able to adopt the were able to adopt the consumption patterns of consumption patterns of even the lower middle even the lower middle classclass

Wages differed drastically Wages differed drastically from industry to industryfrom industry to industry

““Sweated” LaborSweated” Labor Tailors disappear in the Tailors disappear in the

wake of “ready-made” wake of “ready-made” clothingclothing

VI. The Advent of Welfare VI. The Advent of Welfare LegislationLegislation

The Triangle Shirt The Triangle Shirt Company Fire: New York Company Fire: New York City, 1911City, 1911

Bismarck’s “cutting edge” Bismarck’s “cutting edge” welfare programswelfare programs

Works to moderate Works to moderate socialistic demandssocialistic demands

Types of welfare Types of welfare legislation introducedlegislation introduced

Uneven enforcement of Uneven enforcement of this legislationthis legislation

VII. The Emergence of a Self-VII. The Emergence of a Self-Conscious Labor MovementConscious Labor Movement

The Shift of Leadership The Shift of Leadership from the Middle Class from the Middle Class Socialists to Skilled Socialists to Skilled Working Class LeadersWorking Class Leaders

--Fabian Society (1884)--Fabian Society (1884)

--H.G. Wells--H.G. Wells

--George Bernard Shaw--George Bernard Shaw The Stimulus of Legal The Stimulus of Legal

Changes and the Changes and the Extension of SuffrageExtension of Suffrage

VII. The Emergence of a Self-VII. The Emergence of a Self-Conscious Labor Movement (cont)Conscious Labor Movement (cont)

The Growth of Trade The Growth of Trade Unions in the 1880’sUnions in the 1880’s

Labor Union membership Labor Union membership explodedexploded

--1910: 3 million workers --1910: 3 million workers in Britain unionizedin Britain unionized

The Evolution of Socialist The Evolution of Socialist PartiesParties

Conflict between Unions Conflict between Unions and Socialist Parties over and Socialist Parties over the use of a strikethe use of a strike

VIII. Karl Marx and the VIII. Karl Marx and the International Workers MovementInternational Workers Movement

Origins of the “First Origins of the “First International” (1864)International” (1864)

Broad and diverse Broad and diverse membershipmembership

Marxism = the most Marxism = the most important strand of important strand of European socialismEuropean socialism

The significance of The significance of the “great depression” the “great depression” of the 1870’sof the 1870’s

VIII. The First International (cont)VIII. The First International (cont)

Interest in Marx and Interest in Marx and his ideas acceleratedhis ideas accelerated

The complexity of The complexity of Marxism and the Marxism and the popularization of popularization of Marx’s ideasMarx’s ideas

““One thing is certain, I One thing is certain, I am not a Marxist.”am not a Marxist.”

IX. The Paris CommuneIX. The Paris Commune The events of March to The events of March to

May, 1871May, 1871 Marx and his followers Marx and his followers

believed that the believed that the inevitable revolution had inevitable revolution had begunbegun

The Collapse of the First The Collapse of the First InternationalInternational

The demise of the Paris The demise of the Paris CommuneCommune

The Creation of the The Creation of the Second International Second International (1889)(1889)

X. Socialist Revisionism: The X. Socialist Revisionism: The German Socialist Party (SPD)German Socialist Party (SPD)

At first, Government At first, Government OppositionOpposition

Compromising Marx: The Compromising Marx: The Erfurt Program of 1891Erfurt Program of 1891

Eduard Bernstein and Eduard Bernstein and Evolutionary SocialismEvolutionary Socialism (1899)(1899)

More democracy and More democracy and social reform needed, not social reform needed, not a revolutiona revolution

X. The German Socialist Party X. The German Socialist Party (SPD) (cont)(SPD) (cont)

Revisionism rejected Revisionism rejected officially, but unofficially officially, but unofficially pursuedpursued

The political success of The political success of the SPD and the growing the SPD and the growing distance between itself distance between itself and the working classand the working class--1903: 3 million votes --1903: 3 million votes and 81 seatsand 81 seats--Superbly organized--Superbly organized--A conservative, --A conservative, nationalistic creature of nationalistic creature of vested interestsvested interests

XI. Anarchism: The Radical XI. Anarchism: The Radical Socialist AlternativeSocialist Alternative

The priority of direct The priority of direct actionaction

““Propaganda of the Propaganda of the Deed”Deed”

No central theory or No central theory or organizationorganization

The dream of The dream of spontaneous spontaneous revolutionary action—the revolutionary action—the “general strike”“general strike”

Conflict evolving within Conflict evolving within two branches of working two branches of working class political cultureclass political culture

XII. “Nationalistic Socialism”XII. “Nationalistic Socialism” Period of real optimism Period of real optimism

about the possibilities of about the possibilities of left-wing European left-wing European politicspolitics

Antithesis to the middle Antithesis to the middle class culture that still class culture that still dominated western dominated western EuropeEurope

The power of nationalism The power of nationalism to modify socialismto modify socialism

Socialist policies and Socialist policies and doctrines varied from doctrines varied from country to countrycountry to country