The above is a picture of the court case of Dreyfus, a Jewish high ranking military officer in France. Dreyfus was denied a fair trial due to antisemitism in the period.
EQ: What were the main similarities and differences between the pathways to democracy in the US, France, and UK in the 19th century?
Political
Political reforms help changed the government structure of the Western nations and help them adopt democratic political systems, which as a result brought changes to the economic and social aspect of the societies once people gained power. Yet the pathways to democracy in the US, France, and UK are vastly different. First, in the United States, many reforms and amendments were made to bring about political reforms. But before these reforms and amendments are made, many protests are staged. Just like the United States, political democratization in the United Kingdom are made by political reforms that are pushed by the common people of the UK, especially the middle class and working class whose voices are not heard in the Parliament before the sets of reforms that expanded the electorate. Furthermore, both female suffrages are enabled only through the protests staged by women in both nations. On the contrary, the pathway to democracy in France is quite different, and much more violent, as only after multiple revolutions and wars were democracy established. In France originally, there was a monarchy in the early 19th century. Then after the February Revolution, or the Revolution of 1848, Napoleon III gained the throne. Although his government was called the “republic,” Napoleon III was technically a dictator with virtually absolute power. It was not until after the war with the Prussians, when Napoleon III was captured, the rebellion between the communards and the National Assembly, when a democratic political system was finally established, in which the representatives of the lower house is elected by universal male suffrage.
Economic
The economic reforms are vastly different in the three nations. In the United States, laws were passed to regulate powerful monopolies, which prevents industries from growing to powerful and negatively infringe on people’s lives through unreasonable price rises. Meanwhile in the UK, the most major economic reforms all pertain to tax. For example, in the days when monarchy still existed, reforms were passed to allow parliament to control national budget and tax to limit the king’s power. Then as the state modernizes and trade prospered, free trade was enabled, in which tariffs were banned in order for the market to enjoy free competition. Furthermore, as the Corn Act, which kept grain prices high, was repealed, free trade was further expanded in the United Kingdom. On the contrary, in France, Napoleon III passed multiple reforms that legalized labor unions while investing heavily on railroad, canals, and many other large programs. The economic reforms of the three states vary dramatically.
Social
There were many aspect of social reforms in the three states: women’s rights, mandatory schooling, labor laws, slave laws, and even separating church and zionism. Regarding women’s rights, all three states have passed reforms to expand upon the area. In the United States and UK, women were granted suffrage rights in the 20th century. While in France, women were granted rights to their own earnings after marriage, later on, they were granted right to vote. In the field of schooling, France and UK passed laws for free public elementary education for both boys and girls alike. On the other hand, slavery is banned in the United States after a bloody civil war and in the UK after a series of abolition campaigns. In the field of labor laws, all countries took serious reforms. In the United States, France, and UK, child labour are banned while minimum wages and maximum working hour are enforced. In all three states also, labor unions are made legal, which allowed workers to organize for protests, giving them power to resist factory owners’ ruthless wage cuts and treatment of workers. Yet UK took its labor rights and social reforms to a whole new level, establishing social welfare programs such as health care for worker, accident, health, and unemployment insurance, and even old age pensions. Moreover, public housing and government jobs based on merit system further democratized the British society. Lastly, in France, Zionism was established while Church and State was separated; furthermore, Church power was reduced through government’s public education program that marginalized the Catholic Church’s control of education, while monasteries are closed and members of the clergy do not receive governmental salaries anymore. In summary, the social reforms in all three states overlap each other, especially in the fields of women’s rights and labor laws.
Remaining Anti-democratic
Nevertheless, there are still many different anti-democratic features in governments. In the United States, although slavery was appealed, there are still segregation laws that violated the rights of freedmen and African Americans, while Native Americans were only granted suffrage rights later on. In the UK, the house of Lords remain to be an undemocratic symbol in the Parliament, as the Lords retain the right to veto any bill passed by the lower house and the seats are only inherited. Later on, the rights of the Lords are gradually removed. Moreover, the UK had great undemocratic rule over Ireland; for example, Irish people had no control over their farm lights, right to hold political offices, and had to pay tithes (tax) to the Church of England when they were Catholics. It was not until 1921 when Ireland finally gained its independence. Lastly, in France, anti-Semitism grew dramatically, which caused the Jews to be persecuted ruthlessly. A notable example is the Dreyfus affair, in which the high ranking Jewish army officer was unfairly tried by not being given the right to see the evidence against his trial. Moreover, the attempt to place an Austrian Hapsburg prince on the throne of Mexico and Napoleon III’s dictatorship shows the undemocratic trait of France.
Overall, the pathways to democracy in the three states are both similar and the same. All three states achieved social reforms that protected workers rights, women’s rights. Moreover, universal suffrage were achieved by all three states, too. Nevertheless, the method to push for each states’ reforms are different. In the UK and US, protests were staged, while in France, violence were used. Moreover, all three states differ in their economic reforms and anti-democratic aspect. Hence, there are quite a lot of similarities are differences in each states’ pathway to democracy.
Political
Political reforms help changed the government structure of the Western nations and help them adopt democratic political systems, which as a result brought changes to the economic and social aspect of the societies once people gained power. Yet the pathways to democracy in the US, France, and UK are vastly different. First, in the United States, many reforms and amendments were made to bring about political reforms. But before these reforms and amendments are made, many protests are staged. Just like the United States, political democratization in the United Kingdom are made by political reforms that are pushed by the common people of the UK, especially the middle class and working class whose voices are not heard in the Parliament before the sets of reforms that expanded the electorate. Furthermore, both female suffrages are enabled only through the protests staged by women in both nations. On the contrary, the pathway to democracy in France is quite different, and much more violent, as only after multiple revolutions and wars were democracy established. In France originally, there was a monarchy in the early 19th century. Then after the February Revolution, or the Revolution of 1848, Napoleon III gained the throne. Although his government was called the “republic,” Napoleon III was technically a dictator with virtually absolute power. It was not until after the war with the Prussians, when Napoleon III was captured, the rebellion between the communards and the National Assembly, when a democratic political system was finally established, in which the representatives of the lower house is elected by universal male suffrage.
Economic
The economic reforms are vastly different in the three nations. In the United States, laws were passed to regulate powerful monopolies, which prevents industries from growing to powerful and negatively infringe on people’s lives through unreasonable price rises. Meanwhile in the UK, the most major economic reforms all pertain to tax. For example, in the days when monarchy still existed, reforms were passed to allow parliament to control national budget and tax to limit the king’s power. Then as the state modernizes and trade prospered, free trade was enabled, in which tariffs were banned in order for the market to enjoy free competition. Furthermore, as the Corn Act, which kept grain prices high, was repealed, free trade was further expanded in the United Kingdom. On the contrary, in France, Napoleon III passed multiple reforms that legalized labor unions while investing heavily on railroad, canals, and many other large programs. The economic reforms of the three states vary dramatically.
Social
There were many aspect of social reforms in the three states: women’s rights, mandatory schooling, labor laws, slave laws, and even separating church and zionism. Regarding women’s rights, all three states have passed reforms to expand upon the area. In the United States and UK, women were granted suffrage rights in the 20th century. While in France, women were granted rights to their own earnings after marriage, later on, they were granted right to vote. In the field of schooling, France and UK passed laws for free public elementary education for both boys and girls alike. On the other hand, slavery is banned in the United States after a bloody civil war and in the UK after a series of abolition campaigns. In the field of labor laws, all countries took serious reforms. In the United States, France, and UK, child labour are banned while minimum wages and maximum working hour are enforced. In all three states also, labor unions are made legal, which allowed workers to organize for protests, giving them power to resist factory owners’ ruthless wage cuts and treatment of workers. Yet UK took its labor rights and social reforms to a whole new level, establishing social welfare programs such as health care for worker, accident, health, and unemployment insurance, and even old age pensions. Moreover, public housing and government jobs based on merit system further democratized the British society. Lastly, in France, Zionism was established while Church and State was separated; furthermore, Church power was reduced through government’s public education program that marginalized the Catholic Church’s control of education, while monasteries are closed and members of the clergy do not receive governmental salaries anymore. In summary, the social reforms in all three states overlap each other, especially in the fields of women’s rights and labor laws.
Remaining Anti-democratic
Nevertheless, there are still many different anti-democratic features in governments. In the United States, although slavery was appealed, there are still segregation laws that violated the rights of freedmen and African Americans, while Native Americans were only granted suffrage rights later on. In the UK, the house of Lords remain to be an undemocratic symbol in the Parliament, as the Lords retain the right to veto any bill passed by the lower house and the seats are only inherited. Later on, the rights of the Lords are gradually removed. Moreover, the UK had great undemocratic rule over Ireland; for example, Irish people had no control over their farm lights, right to hold political offices, and had to pay tithes (tax) to the Church of England when they were Catholics. It was not until 1921 when Ireland finally gained its independence. Lastly, in France, anti-Semitism grew dramatically, which caused the Jews to be persecuted ruthlessly. A notable example is the Dreyfus affair, in which the high ranking Jewish army officer was unfairly tried by not being given the right to see the evidence against his trial. Moreover, the attempt to place an Austrian Hapsburg prince on the throne of Mexico and Napoleon III’s dictatorship shows the undemocratic trait of France.
Overall, the pathways to democracy in the three states are both similar and the same. All three states achieved social reforms that protected workers rights, women’s rights. Moreover, universal suffrage were achieved by all three states, too. Nevertheless, the method to push for each states’ reforms are different. In the UK and US, protests were staged, while in France, violence were used. Moreover, all three states differ in their economic reforms and anti-democratic aspect. Hence, there are quite a lot of similarities are differences in each states’ pathway to democracy.