The Coming of Socialism to Europe


 
 
Concept Explanation
 

The Coming of Socialism to Europe

The Coming of Socialism to Europe: By the mid-19th century, socialists ideas spread through Europe and attracted widespread attention. Socialists believed that the propertied class were only concerned with their personal gain and not with the welfare of those who made the property productive. So, they suggested and campaigned that instead of individual control, property should be controlled collectively.

  • Socialism was well known by the mid 19th century in Europe.
  • Socialist opposed private property.
  • Believed that if a society as a whole controlled property , more attention would be paid to collective social interest.
  • some socialist like Robert Owen believed in the idea of cooperatives.
  • Others like Louis Blanc felt that cooperatives could be built only if the governments encouraged them.
  • Cooperatives were association of people who produced goods together and divided the profits equally.
  • Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels: Karl Marx (1818-1883) argued that the industrial society was capitalist and the profit of capitalists was produced by workers. The conditions of workers could not improve till the profit was accumulated by private capitalists. He believed that to overthrow capitalism, workers had to construct a radically socialist society where all property was socially controlled, i.e., all production unit should be nationalised. This society will be a communist society.

    Friedrich Engels (1820- 1895) joined with Marx to suggest that workers have to overthrow capitalism and the rule of private property.

     
     


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