Question

In what ways were socialism and communism a response to the social and economic conditions that developed in Europe during the industrial revolution?

Answer 1

Answer:

The Industrial Revolution was the beginning of capitalism as we know it today. The rise of capitalism changed societies entirely. Socialism and communism as demands for equality responded to these changes:

I) The world of work changed dramatically. City artisans and peasants saw their work being made by machines. They lost control of the production of those goods and started to work in fabrics owned by the bourgeoisie. Now they worked not for themselves but somebody else.

II) Changes started to happen faster. Because of new inventions in communication and transportation, it seemed time was ticking faster. This made workers fear for their survival amidst changes in the world of work.

III) Intensification and complexification of the economic system connected the world in violent ways that were noted by intellectuals of the time. Many men and women saw how the need for raw materials caused by the growth of the industry led to violence against peoples in other parts of the world and violence against workers through poor working conditions.

All these changes led to the rise of ways of thinking that saw capitalism as an intrinsically unjust and violent system and therefore demanded collective property of the means of production, i.e., fabrics, mines, etc.