La Belle Époque[1871-1914]

“The Beautiful Era”

La Belle Époque[1871-1914]

“The Beautiful Era”

1.1. MaterialismMaterialism

Higher standard of livingHigher standard of living

Development “zones”Development “zones”

• Inner ZoneInner Zone Br, Fr, Ger, Br, Fr, Ger, Belg, Belg, No. It,W. AustriaNo. It,W. Austria

•Outer ZoneOuter Zone Ire., Iberian Ire., Iberian Pen., most of Italy, Europe Pen., most of Italy, Europe easteastof Ger.of Ger.

•Underdeveloped ZoneUnderdeveloped Zone Afro-AsiaAfro-Asia

La Belle ÉpoqueLa Belle Époque

2.2. Increased European PopulationIncreased European Population

3.3. Growth of Cities & Urban LifeGrowth of Cities & Urban Life

4.4. Migration from EuropeMigration from Europe

1850-1940 1850-1940 60 million left 60 million left EuropeEurope

Went to Went to US, Argentina, Brazil, US, Argentina, Brazil, Canada, Canada,

Australia/N. Zeal.Australia/N. Zeal.

5.5. ““Second” Industrial RevolutionSecond” Industrial Revolution

Steam Steam electricity electricity

Internal combustion & diesel Internal combustion & diesel engines.engines.

Cars, planes, submarines.Cars, planes, submarines.

La Belle ÉpoqueLa Belle Époque

5. “Second” Industrial Revolution Second” Industrial Revolution Britain Britain “The World’s Industrial “The World’s Industrial Workshop” Workshop”

Corporations Corporations limited liability of limited liability of

investments. investments.

Mass production.Mass production.

6.6. Free Trade [esp. in England]Free Trade [esp. in England]

7.7. World Markets [Global Economy, World Markets [Global Economy, Part II]Part II]

8.8. Advance of DemocracyAdvance of Democracy

Extension of the vote to the Extension of the vote to the working class.working class.

Disraeli v. Gladstone (English Disraeli v. Gladstone (English PM)PM)

La Belle ÉpoqueLa Belle Époque

9.9. The Appeal of SocialismThe Appeal of Socialism

By the 1880s, most socialist By the 1880s, most socialist parties were Marxist [esp. Ger. parties were Marxist [esp. Ger. & Fr.]& Fr.]

Not very successful in England.Not very successful in England.

10.10. Faith in Science AloneFaith in Science Alone

Science at the core of Science at the core of industrialization.industrialization.

““New Wonders” of daily life.New Wonders” of daily life.

Charles DarwinCharles Darwin

• Origin of SpeciesOrigin of Species [1859] [1859]

• ““survival of the fittest”survival of the fittest”

La Belle ÉpoqueLa Belle Époque

10.10. Faith in Science Alone [con’t.]Faith in Science Alone [con’t.]

““Social Darwinism” Social Darwinism” Herbert Herbert SpenserSpenser

EugenicsEugenics

Newtonian Science turned on its Newtonian Science turned on its headhead

• Einstein Einstein “Theory of “Theory of Relativity”Relativity” nature & energy nature & energy were were separate & distinct. separate & distinct.

• Max Planck Max Planck Quantum Quantum PhysicsPhysics

La Belle La Belle ÉpoqueÉpoque

Faith in Science Alone [con’t.]Faith in Science Alone [con’t.]

Professionalization of “new” Professionalization of “new” sciences [anthropology, sciences [anthropology, archeaology,etc.]archeaology,etc.]

• PsychologyPsychology

Ivan Pavlov Ivan Pavlov conditioned conditioned responsesresponses

Sigmund Freud Sigmund Freud psychoanalysispsychoanalysis

o The Interpretation of The Interpretation of DreamsDreams [1900] [1900]

o The role of the The role of the unconscious [the id, unconscious [the id, ego, super ego].ego, super ego].

La Belle La Belle ÉpoqueÉpoque

11.11. New Trends in PhilosophyNew Trends in Philosophy

AgnosticismAgnosticism

NihilismNihilism

•Friedrich NietzscheFriedrich Nietzsche

ÜbermenschÜbermensch “Super “Super Man”Man”

IrrationalismIrrationalism

ExistentialismExistentialism

•Sören Kierkegaard Sören Kierkegaard existence existence proceeds essenceproceeds essence

12.12. Internal Religious StrugglesInternal Religious Struggles

modernists vs. fundamentalistsmodernists vs. fundamentalists

La Belle La Belle ÉpoqueÉpoque

13.13. Anti-SemitismAnti-Semitism

Dreyfus AffairDreyfus Affair

Theodore Herzl Theodore Herzl Der JudenstaatDer Judenstaat [[The Jewish StateThe Jewish State], 1896], 1896

• ““Father of Modern Zionism”Father of Modern Zionism”

14.14. Women’s MovementWomen’s Movement

Emmeline PankhurstEmmeline Pankhurst

15.15. Advance of Democracy Advance of Democracy

Extension of the vote to the working Extension of the vote to the working class.class.

Disraeli v. Gladstone (English PM)Disraeli v. Gladstone (English PM)

16. The “New” Imperialism16. The “New” Imperialism

La Belle La Belle ÉpoqueÉpoque

* In 1894 a list of French military documents [called a bordereau] were found in the waste basket of the German Embassy in Paris.

* French counter-intelligence suspected Captain Alfred Dreyfus, from a wealthy Alsatian Jewish family he was one of the few Jews on the General Staff.

* Dreyfus was tried, convicted of treason, and sent to Devil’s Island in French Guiana.

* The real culprit was a Major Esterhazy, whose handwriting was the same as that on the bordereau.

The government tried him and found him not guilty in two days.

* A famous author, Emile Zola, published an open letter called J’Accuse!

He accused the army of a mistrial and cover-up.

The government prosecuted him for libel.

Found him guilty sentenced to a year in prison.

* Public opinion was divided it reflected the divisions in Fr. society.

* The Dreyfusards were anti-clericals, intellectuals, free masons, & socialists.

* For Anti-Dreyfusards, the honor of the army was more important than Dreyfus’ guilt or innocence.

Were army supporters, monarchists, & Catholics.

DreyfusardsAnti-

Dreyfusards

* Dreyfus finally got a new trial in 1899.

* He was brought back from Devil’s Island white-haired and broken.

* Results:◦ Found guilty again, BUT with extenuating

circumstances.◦ Was given a presidential pardon.◦ Exonerated completely in 1906.◦ Served honorably in World War I.◦ Died in 1935.

Theodore Herzl[1860-1904]

* Was motivated by the Dreyfus trial to write the book, Der Judenstaat, orThe Jewish State in 1896.

* Creates the First Zionist Congress in Basel, Switzerland.

* “Father of Modern Zionism.”

* Was motivated by the Dreyfus trial to write the book, Der Judenstaat, orThe Jewish State in 1896.

* Creates the First Zionist Congress in Basel, Switzerland.

* “Father of Modern Zionism.”

* 1858-1928.* Her husband & children were all

involved in the suffrage movement.* They became militants & were

arrested and imprisoned.* 1917: She and her

daughter, Christabel, formed the Women’s Party in 1917:

Equal pay for equal work. Equal marriage & divorce

laws. Equality of rights &

opportunities in public service. A national system of maternity

benefits.

* Women over 30 got the right to vote.

* All men gained suffrage.

Property qualifications were completely eliminated!

* Reform Act of 1928

Women over 21 years of age gained the right to vote at last!

* William Gladstone, Liberal Prime Minister

1868-1874 1880-1885 1886 1892-1894

* Benjamin Disraeli, Conservative Prime Minister

1868 1874-1880

* In 1866, Gladstone introduced a moderate reform bill that was defeated by the Conservatives.

* A more radical reform bill was introduced by Disraeli in 1867, passed largely with some Liberal support.

* Disraeli’s Goals: Give the Conservative Party control over

the reform process. Labor would be grateful and vote

Conservative.* Components of the Bill:

Extended the franchise by 938,427 an increase of 88%.

Vote given to male householders and male lodgers paying at least £10 for room.

Eliminated rotten boroughs with fewer than 10,000 inhabitants.

Extra representation in Parliament to larger cities like Liverpool & Manchester.

* This ended the “Victorian Compromise.”

* A dandy and a romance novelist.

* A brilliant debater.* Baptized by his

father into the Anglican Church.

* BUT, he was the first & only Prime Minister of Jewish parentage.

* A strong imperialist. “Greater

England” foreign policy.

* Respected by Queen Victoria.

* An active legislator and reformer.

* Known for his populist speeches.

* Could be preachy.* Queen Victoria

couldn’t stand him.* Tried to deal with

the “Irish Question.”

* Supported a “Little England” foreign policy.

* Disraeli* Conservative

Party* England must

be the greatest colonial power.

* Spend £ on supporting the empire.

* Gladstone.* Liberal Party.* England must

invest in her own people at home.

* Try negotiations, rather than costly military solutions.

“Big England”

Policy

“Little England”

Policy

* 1869: Disraeli pushed for the completion of the Suez Canal.

* Gladstone opposed the “Mad Scramble.”

* 1880-1881: First Boer War in South Africa [Gladstone].

* 1884-1885: Mahdi uprising in the Sudan [Gladstone].

Muhammad Ahmad “al-

Mahdi”

Charles Gordon “Pasha”

* Purpose Great Powers & Ottomans met to settle issues from the Russo-Turkish War.

* Disraeli represented England.

The new “Empress of India” receiving the “Jewel in the Crown” of her Empire.