1848 Revolutions

Whilst there were individual reasons giving rise to each of the revolutions of 1848 there were some common themes pertaining to all of them. General living conditions had been poor for some time, and an increase in industrialisation had led to overcrowding in cities, extensive child labour, and workers toiling long hours to create wealth in which they rarely shared. Poor harvests in the years prior to 1848 led to discontent amongst the working classes, while the …

…of Socialism, were beginning to realise they deserved more than what they had. Romanticism also saw the middle classes in particular thinking they deserved more than just the monotonous repetition of day to day. Though most revolutions eventually failed and led to more repression, the snowball effect must not be underestimated. Beginning in Sicily in January, the sense of empowerment amongst the lower and middle classes spread to France, Germany, Italy, and the Austrian Empire.