Socialism in Europe and the

Russian Revolution
(Part - 1)
Socialism in Europe and
the Russian Revolution
 Socialism
A system or condition in which
means of production are owned and
controlled by the masses.

Industries Land & Assests Production

Owned & Controlled by State

The Age of Social Change
 European Society Before 18th Century

Society was
1 divided into
estates

Dominance of 2
Aristocracy

Economy was
3 controlled by
Church
Impact of French Revolution
Socialism opened up the possibility of
changing the structure of the society.

The wave of socialism spread in many

part of world including Europe and Asia

The development in colonies, reshaped

the ideas of societal change.
What was Socialism that
reached even India and
even today people are
socialist?
What are we going to study :

1. Important Political and Economic

traditions of 19th century Europe

2. Revolution in Russia and its

impact on European Society

3. 3. Socialism as a powerful global idea

Liberals, Radicals & Conservatives
Responses varied from those who wanted
changes in a slow process to those who
wanted to restructure the society radically.
The society broadly divided into :-

Liberals Radicals

Division

Conservatives
Supported a Secular Opposed the
Nation autocratic dynastic
rule
Well trained judiciary

Liberals

They were not

‘Democrats'. They felt Argued for a elected
only men with parliamentary and a
property should have well-trained Judiciary
the right to vote.
 Wanted government
based upon majority

Supported Women's
Radicals Suffragette Movements

Opposed the privileges

of factory & land owners
 Not against the existence
of private property

Radicals

But opposed concentration

of property in few hands
 Conservatives
They were Monarchs and their
supporters..
1 Also they opposed both liberals &
radicals.

In eighteenth century, they

generally opposed to the idea
2 of change.
2
But after french revolution,
they accepted that some
3 change was inevitable.
3
Believed that change need to
be brought through slow
4 process.
4
 Liberals
Looked for change in society.
They wanted a Secular
Nation.
Opposed the Dynastic Rule.
Wanted a Parliamentary govt.
& a well-trained Judiciary.
Were against giving Women
the right to vote.
Radicals
Open to changes in the
society.
Opposed the privileges of
land owners
Wanted a government based
on the majority of a country's
population
Supported Women's
Suffragette Movement.
Conservatives
They are not open to the idea
of new changes. By 19th
century, they accepted that
some changes are inevitable.
Were opposed to both liberals
and radicals
They were monarchs
Respected old traditions and
customs
Industrial Society & Social
Change
 Factors that led to Industrial Revolution

Existence of
new cities Expansion
of railway
Development
.
of industrial
region

Industrial revolution led to changes in

social & economic life in europe.
 Impact of Industrial Revolution

It brought men,
women & children
to factories

Unemployment Problem of
increased housing &
rapidly sanitation

Also, long working hours and poor wages!

 Role of Radicals & Liberals

They searched for solutions to these

issues :

They believed that society will develop

when :

● Individual freedom would be

ensured.

● If the poor could labour

● If the workforce in the economy

would be healthy and educated.
They opposed the privileges of
ARISTOCRATS by birth.

Working men and women rallied around

them world in 19th century for seeking
changes in society’s structure.
 Radicals and Liberals Became
Revolutionaries

They wanted revolution to put

1 an end to the kind of govt.
established in 1815.

Worked to overthrow the

2 existing monarchs in France,
Italy, Germany and Russia.

Suggested solutions to create

3 ‘nations' where all citizens
would have equal rights.
 Giuseppe Mazzini
(An Italian Revolutionary)

In 1815, he Nationalists
conspired elsewhere
with others (including
to achieve India) read
this in italy his reading.

NNote : You will read more

about him in class 10th
The Coming of Socialism to
Europe
By the mid 19th century in Europe,
socialism was a well-known body of
ideas that attracted widespread
attention.
Why Socialists were against Private Property?

● Socialists considered private property

as the root of all social ills.

● They wanted rather than an single

individual if society would control
property then more attention would be
paid to collective social interests.
How could a society without property operate?
What would be the basis of socialist society?
 Different Socialists Visions

Some believed in the idea of Cooperatives.

Ex : Robert Owen sought to build a
cooperative community called New
Harmony in Indiana (USA)

While others demanded that government

should encourage cooperatives.
Ex : In France, Louis Blanc wanted the govt.
to encourage cooperatives and replace
capitalist enterprises.
 What do you mean by
Cooperative Societies?

Cooperative societies are association of

people who produce goods together and
divides the profit according to the work done
by members.
 Karl Marx

Marx (along with Friedrich Engels )

argued that Industrial society was
‘Capitalists' and the condition of
workers could not improve as long as
this profit was accumulated by private
capitalists.
Karl Marx, proposed an idea of building a
Communist Society.

He argued to
overthrow capitalism Property need to be
controlled by state.
 Karl Marx’s message to workers!

Workers had to overthrow capitalism and the

rule of private property. Marx believed that
workers had to construct a radically socialist
society where all property was socially
controlled.

This would be a communist society. He was

convinced that workers would triumph in
their conflict with capitalists.

A communist society was the natural society

of the future.
Support For Socialism
 Second International

1
By the 1870s,
socialist ideas
spread through
Europe.

3 2
They formed a
They set up funds international body
to help members in (The Second
times of distress. International) to
coordinate their
efforts.
 Better standard
1
of living

Better working Less Working 5

2 conditions hours

Demands of
Overpopulation
Workers
Deforestation

Increase in
Right to 4
3 Wages
vote
 Germany

These association worked closely with

the Social Democratic Party (SDP) and
helped it win parliamentary seats.

In 1905, socialists & trade unionists

formed :

❏ Labour party in Britain

❏ Socialist party in France

Till 1914, Socialist never succeeded in
forming a government in Europe.

But thier ideas and strong figures did

shape legislation in parliamentary
politics.

Governments continued to be run by

Conservatives, Liberals and Radicals.