Economy and Society in Europe During 1848 Essay -- European History Ec

Economy and Society in Europe During 1848 The revolutionary year of 1848 was an extraordinary period in which popular disturbances brought down the government of many countries. The revolts were very widespread, seriously affecting about fifty countries in Europe.1 It ranged from an enormous area, ranging from the Atlantic to the Ukraine, from the Baltic to the Mediterranean. Factors that contributed to these revolts included: the potato crop had been destroyed, food riots broke out, and financial crises sprung about due to the high rate of unemployment.2 The development of major cities, such as Prague, Berlin, Liepzig, etc. contributed to the creation of the revolution. Also, anger arose over political issues because the middle class was taking control, and the peasants were starving due to this. Another point that caused rage was tax collection. People threatened to beat tax collectors and burn down revenue offices. Europe, at this time, was fighting a battle that would last many years and change many different aspects of European countries. For the most part, the revolts were due to the bourgeoisie (upper class citizens) and how they controlled everything, including factories, machines, and people. The proletariat (working class that consisted of the factory laborers) were dominated by the bourgeoisie and began to look for a social change.3 The different changes in Europe in 1848 resulted in economic revolts, the Industrial Revolution, and how Karl Marx had an impact on society. The economic revolts took place right before 1848. This economic crisis resulted from the agricultural failures, which set off a serious industrial and commercial crisis, as high food prices would not let people buy anything else. Due to thes... ...ompany Inc, 1970), 198-206. 6. Breunig, 226. 7. Jones, 24. 8. Hugh McLeod, Secularisation in Western Europe, 1848-1914 (London: MacMillian Press Ltd., 2000), 31. 9. Jones, 15. 10. Priscilla Robertson, Revolutions of 1848: A Social History (New Jersey: Princeton University Press, 1952), 6. Bibliography Breunig, Charles. The Age of Revolution and Reaction, 1789-1850. New York: Norton and Company Inc., 1970. Goldstein, Robert Justin. "The European Revolutoin of 1848 and 1989." 24 February 1999. http://cscwww.ohiou.edu/~Chastain/dh/eurorev.htm (22 October 2001). Jones, Peter. The 1848 Revolutions. New York: Longman Inc., 1991. McLeod, Hugh. Secularisation In Western Europe, 1848-1914. London: MacMillian Press Ltd., 2000. Robertson, Priscilla. Revolutions of 1848: A Social History. New Jersey: Princeton University Press, 1952.