Mass Politics and Consumer Culture

Mass Politics
The Nation-State provided a common framework for political action and political parties were increasingly influenced by the demands and participation by the middle and working classes as universal manhood suffrage laws were adopted across Europe.

Causes

• Industrialization
• Urbanization
• Increasing education and literacy

England's Liberal Party

• Founded on principles of limited govt., free trade, and laissez-faire policies
• Gradually embraced social reform, extending voting rights, allowing labor unions

England's Conservative Party

• Stood for England's traditional institutions (monarchy, Anglican Church, family)
• Opposed to any transfer of power away from the UK (ex. no independence for Ireland)
• Expanding vote forced it to take on reform issues (Education, Public Health, Unions)

Social Democratic Party of Germany

• Germany's oldest political party
• Outlawed from 1878 - 1890
• Largest party in the Reichstag by 1912
• Achieving socialist reform within democratic system
• 1890s - Christian Socialist parties form in France, Italy, and Belgium

Socialism and Social-Democracy

• 1889 - Old Age Pension Laws in Germany
• 1897 - Workers Compensation in England
• 1911 - National Health Insurance in England
• First and Second International Socialist Parties

Emancipation of Serfs, 1861

Results of Mass Politics

• Parties and policies for the working classes
• Liberalism changes from laissez-faire to interventionist
• Increasing demand for suffrage from women
• Growth of reactionary, radical, or racist parties

Consumer Culture

Cause: Industrialization

• Mass Production, falling prices
• Rise of Middle Class consumers
• Transportation and Communication Revolution
• Industrial Expositions
• Conspicuous Consumption

Cause: Imperialism

• Access to cheap raw materials
• Import of precious metals
• Exoticism and Orientalism

The Household

• Increase in real wages and leisure time
• Increase in education and literacy - compulsory education
• Demand for cultural products
• Prices for furniture, decoration, housewares falling
• Marriage for love or companionship
• Strict gender roles especially in bourgeoise households

Sports and Leisure

Advertising and Shopping

Haussmanization

Haussmanization: The Renewal of the City

• Wider boulevards
• Public Parks and Green Spaces
• Opera houses, performance venues, hotels
• Public lighting, transportation, and housing