Question

How did the Dreyfus Affair affect democratic reforms in France?

Answer 1

It resulted in the triumph of justice, but led to increased anti-Semitism

Answer 2

The Dreyfus Affair was a political scandal that occurred in France in 1894 when Captain Alfred Dreyfus was sentenced to prison for life after allegedly handing in classified information to the German Embassy in Paris. Dreyfus was a Jew.

It was later proved that the Army had falsified documents in order to force his imprisonment. As rumors about this wrongdoing started t gro strong, Dreyfus was put into the second trial in 1899, where he was sentenced to 10 years in prison. However, he would eventually be freed after this trial.

This incident led to an empowering of the political forces who supported a parliamentary democracy at the expense of groups who supported a monarchical regime. Another result would be the development of Socialism in France, which would lead to the creation of the Socialist Party of France in 1902.