Blackwell Reference Online

Extract

The 1840s was perhaps the most volatile period in the post-Napoleonic age. Though the old regime could not be entirely reestablished, the restored international order of European society, too, was about to falter. Liberal nationalism was sweeping through Europe and set off various revolts in the 1820s and 1830s, only to culminate in the revolutions of 1848 . Often involved in these revolts were united groups of peasants, workers, and merchants demanding an end to outdated institutions, such as feudal dues. One such revolt took place in Silesia in the summer of 1844. On July 4, weavers broke into the headquarters of the Zwanziger Brothers, a textile company in Peterswaldau, and destroyed everything. In the morning, the weavers, armed with makeshift weapons, left Peterswaldau and headed toward Langenbielau. When they arrived, they were met by Major Rosenberger and two companies of infantry. The troops opened fire and killed several bystanders. The weavers, incensed by the killings, managed to drive the soldiers away and continued on their destructive path. Military reinforcements arrived the next morning and dispersed those who remained. Intellectuals and social critics on the left took this event as an opportunity to express their views. Karl Marx argued that, due to the destruction of the finance books, this revolt struck at the heart of the capitalist system and not simply at ... log in or subscribe to read full text