Social Classes and Labor in the Early 20th Century

Classified in History

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The Peasantry in the Early 20th Century

Despite social changes, peasants remained the majority population group in the early twentieth century. Their way of life remained traditional and was opposed to social and political transformations. Peasants were hostile to liberalism first and then to socialism. They were considered conservatives and supporters of order and religion. Two distinct groups emerged:

  • 1. The more affluent, who adapted to the liberal policies that benefited them, became landowners.
  • 2. The laborers, who had no land and were only paid for work performed. Revolutionary ideologies, such as anarchism, took hold in these areas.

Marginalized Workers in the Early 20th Century

There were two main groups of workers: those in industry and those in the burgeoning service sector. With the rise of industrial factories, traditional craft production declined. However, the number of workers continued to grow as former craftsmen were forced to adapt to new production systems. New workers appeared in industries, often including women and children. Alongside these new workers were the surviving heirs of the workers' unions and the traditions of old crafts, such as bakers. After 1880, a visible protest movement emerged, uniting old and new workers. In cities, the number of workers in the service sector was substantial. In the capital, officials were numerous, but the most traditional roles were clerks and domestic servants, many of whom were women.

Workers' Living Conditions

Living conditions were deplorable, especially in the new industries. In working-class neighborhoods, the situation was even worse, with no public services and inadequate housing. Conditions began to improve in the late 19th century due to social and urban planning measures.

The Rise of Social Movements

The consequences of industrialization and worker discontent manifested in two ways:

  1. New ideologies: Represented by socialist and anarchist thinkers who emerged between 1830 and 1848 in France and Britain, these ideologies sought to rebuild social harmony and solidarity on new foundations.
  2. A broad social and political movement: This movement aimed to organize the new workers and embark on a collective project to improve their situation.

Socialist Thought: Key Features

  1. Progress was an irreversible force that would overcome capitalist injustice.
  2. Political rights and freedoms were insufficient if social equality did not exist.
  3. Collective value belonged to all and could not be the property of a few.

Marxism: A Dominant Force in Socialist Thought

Marxism, a set of theories developed by Karl Marx from the 1840s, became the most influential force in socialism from the late nineteenth century onward. Key contributions include:

  1. History as a succession of class struggles: Every society engenders its own contradictions that will eventually lead to its destruction. Socialism is inevitable because it responds to the laws of history.
  2. The capitalist system's inherent contradictions: Capitalism carries the seeds of its own destruction, including the alienation of workers who do not own the fruits of their labor.
  3. The working class's revolutionary role: The working class was to carry out political action aimed at conquering the state. This process was to be revolutionary and led by the workers themselves.

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