The above is a painting of Napoleon III, the French dictator during the Second Republic.
Why did Marxism develop in France but not the United Kingdom? (1/27)
Marxism, the idea developed by Karl Marx that workers should united and overthrow the government and set up a community of social equality controlled by a group of workers, the proletariat, did not develop in the United Kingdom, while taking roots in France. This was due to the government of United Kingdom’s responsiveness to protests and petitions that calls for social and democratic reforms, while dictatorship in France made violence, an element in Marxism, necessary in order to push for reforms. In following paragraphs will explain why Marxism did not develop in UK but did so in France.
The people of the United Kingdom did not embrace Marxism because it was unnecessary to do so, as government have taken actions to respond to people’s protest and petitions. This is the result of parliamentary democracy, in which the Parliament, whose members are elected by the people, controlled the government. Since the members of the parliament represented the people who voted for them, they took actions to push for reforms in the government demanded by the people, such as the Chartists, who made a petition demanding six major reforms. Although the Parliament did not accept the demands of the Chartists, gradual reforms were made which ultimately satisfied the Chartists’ “ambition.” These reforms implemented expansion of the electorate (until universal suffrage was achieved), secret ballot, annual parliaments, salaries for the MPs, and the abolishment of property qualification for MPs. These set of reforms allow the people to play a greater role in the government, as compared to before, where only upper class males were allowed to vote or take part in the government. Not only so, but other reforms in the United Kingdom, such as the labor laws that protected workers by setting minimum wages, maximum working hours, and required safe working conditions discouraged Marxism as the workers believe that democratic socialism, or the use of democracy to gradually push through socialist reforms, is working effectively. Hence, Marxism did not spread in England as it did in France.
The French people embraced Marxism because Napoleon III’s dictatorship in France prevented socialist reforms from being introduced through peaceful means of democracy. Although the National Assembly was elected by universal male suffrage, Napoleon III confiscated many rights of people and established a dictatorship in France. For example, elections were manipulated to allow the supporters of the emperor to win, while newspapers were censored. Furthermore, most officials were directly appointed by Napoleon III. Even though some socialist reforms were passed by Napoleon III, the majority of the French population still lived in abject poverty, while the war with the Prussians further devastated the French economy. As a result, Marxism grew among the French because to them, Napoleon’s reforms are not enough, while it was hopeless to push for even more socialists, democratic, and liberal reforms through peace under a dictator. The main difference between Marxists and social democrats is that Marxists calls for socialist reforms to be implemented by a revolution, despite violence, while social democrats push for social reforms peacefully through democracy. Hence, after the fall of the Second Republic and the capture of Napoleon III by the Prussians, the Paris Commune, a communist centered government, seized Paris and established a proletariat for approximately 70 days, after which it was overthrown by the French state army.
In conclusion, Marxism developed in France but not UK due to the different political climate. In UK, the Parliament responded to the people’s petitions and protests through reforms, which ultimately achieved the people’s demand. Meanwhile in France, the dictatorship did not improved the lives of the lower class, whom are unable to push for reforms through protests and petitions; as a result, they turned to Marxism.
Marxism, the idea developed by Karl Marx that workers should united and overthrow the government and set up a community of social equality controlled by a group of workers, the proletariat, did not develop in the United Kingdom, while taking roots in France. This was due to the government of United Kingdom’s responsiveness to protests and petitions that calls for social and democratic reforms, while dictatorship in France made violence, an element in Marxism, necessary in order to push for reforms. In following paragraphs will explain why Marxism did not develop in UK but did so in France.
The people of the United Kingdom did not embrace Marxism because it was unnecessary to do so, as government have taken actions to respond to people’s protest and petitions. This is the result of parliamentary democracy, in which the Parliament, whose members are elected by the people, controlled the government. Since the members of the parliament represented the people who voted for them, they took actions to push for reforms in the government demanded by the people, such as the Chartists, who made a petition demanding six major reforms. Although the Parliament did not accept the demands of the Chartists, gradual reforms were made which ultimately satisfied the Chartists’ “ambition.” These reforms implemented expansion of the electorate (until universal suffrage was achieved), secret ballot, annual parliaments, salaries for the MPs, and the abolishment of property qualification for MPs. These set of reforms allow the people to play a greater role in the government, as compared to before, where only upper class males were allowed to vote or take part in the government. Not only so, but other reforms in the United Kingdom, such as the labor laws that protected workers by setting minimum wages, maximum working hours, and required safe working conditions discouraged Marxism as the workers believe that democratic socialism, or the use of democracy to gradually push through socialist reforms, is working effectively. Hence, Marxism did not spread in England as it did in France.
The French people embraced Marxism because Napoleon III’s dictatorship in France prevented socialist reforms from being introduced through peaceful means of democracy. Although the National Assembly was elected by universal male suffrage, Napoleon III confiscated many rights of people and established a dictatorship in France. For example, elections were manipulated to allow the supporters of the emperor to win, while newspapers were censored. Furthermore, most officials were directly appointed by Napoleon III. Even though some socialist reforms were passed by Napoleon III, the majority of the French population still lived in abject poverty, while the war with the Prussians further devastated the French economy. As a result, Marxism grew among the French because to them, Napoleon’s reforms are not enough, while it was hopeless to push for even more socialists, democratic, and liberal reforms through peace under a dictator. The main difference between Marxists and social democrats is that Marxists calls for socialist reforms to be implemented by a revolution, despite violence, while social democrats push for social reforms peacefully through democracy. Hence, after the fall of the Second Republic and the capture of Napoleon III by the Prussians, the Paris Commune, a communist centered government, seized Paris and established a proletariat for approximately 70 days, after which it was overthrown by the French state army.
In conclusion, Marxism developed in France but not UK due to the different political climate. In UK, the Parliament responded to the people’s petitions and protests through reforms, which ultimately achieved the people’s demand. Meanwhile in France, the dictatorship did not improved the lives of the lower class, whom are unable to push for reforms through protests and petitions; as a result, they turned to Marxism.