Work Assignment
1. Explain the relationship between the social question and the revolution.
Questions
Activities
1. Discussion of two weavers: Collect arguments for and against the riot with a fellow pupil, each of you should take a different stance.
Questions of synthesis
Work Assignment:
The social question caused a heated debate in all industrialized countries of Europe in the 19th century and also contributed to the discontent of a large part of the population living in the given political and social circumstances. The participation of the French workers in the riots of 1848, however, was much larger, due to the experiences of the revolutions of 1789 and 1830, than in Germany, where there was no centre of the resistance either. Yet, the riot of the Silesian weavers is also considered as forerunner of the events of 1848 which set the example for the future protesters, especially since it was anticipated and supported by a large part of the population.
Activities:
Possible arguments for the riot:
- If one always puts up with everything, nothing will ever change
- With the things we have, we could not survive anyway
- We will die anyway
- We are not against the state, but against the factory owners who exploit us
Possible arguments against the riot:
- We have so few things anyway; the riot can only make things worse
- I am afraid that the military will intervene and kill us, workers
- For what we endure on earth, we will be rewarded in heaven
- I am afraid that I will lose my job
