Key Economic and Political Movements in Modern History
Historical Materialism
Historical materialism is Marx’s theory that history changes because of economic conditions and the way production is organised. According to this idea, the type of economy and technology determines social classes, politics, and society.
Anarchism
Anarchism was first developed in the 19th century in the centre of Europe by Pierre-Joseph Proudhon, although its best-known advocate was Mikhail Bakunin. It is a political ideology that seeks to abolish the state and all forms of authority. It defends:
- Complete individual freedom
- Collective ownership
- Organisation of society through independent communes and popular assemblies
Trade Unions
Trade unions are organisations of workers in the same industry. They defend workers’ rights, help members in case of accidents, and fight for better wages, shorter hours, and safer working conditions, sometimes using strikes. Trade unions originated primarily in Great Britain during the late 18th and early 19th centuries.
Chartism
Chartists were a workers’ political movement in Great Britain between 1838 and 1848. They demanded:
- Universal male suffrage
- Salaries for Members of Parliament
- Better political representation for the working class
Phalanxes
Phalanxes were cooperative communities proposed by Charles Fourier in early 19th-century France. In these communities, people would live and work together, sharing tasks and benefits to create a fair and harmonious society. The buildings were called phalansteries.
Marxism
Marxism, also known as socialism and communism, was an ideology developed by Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels based on their analysis of politics and the economy in 19th-century Western Europe. It posits that society is divided into social classes and that workers are exploited by capitalists. Marxism proposes a workers’ revolution and collective ownership of the means of production to create a classless society.
The Proletariat
The proletariat is the social class of industrial workers who do not own factories or tools of production. They work for wages and sell their labour to the capitalists. This concept was developed by Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels during the 19th-century Industrial Revolution in Europe.
Economic Theories
Mercantilism
Mercantilism was an economic system used in Western Europe from the 16th to the 18th century. It held that a country becomes rich by accumulating gold and silver, exporting more than it imports, and controlling trade with tariffs and strong government intervention.
Physiocracy
Physiocracy was an economic theory from 18th-century France. It stated that land and agriculture are the main sources of wealth and that the economy should follow natural laws with little government interference.
Laissez-faire
Laissez-faire is an 18th-century economic idea originating in France that means “let people do.” It defends a free market with minimal government intervention, believing the economy works best through free competition and natural market laws.
The Luddites
Luddites were British workers around 1811 who protested against industrial machines. They destroyed machinery because they believed these tools would take their jobs.