Politics Belle Époque
europe during belle Époque
the years between franco-prussian war , world war characterized unusual political stability in western , central europe. although tensions between french , german governments persisted result of french loss of alsace-lorraine germany in 1871, diplomatic conferences, including congress of berlin in 1878, berlin congo conference in 1884, , algeciras conference in 1906, mediated disputes threatened general european peace. indeed, many europeans in belle Époque period, transnational, class-based affiliations important national identities, particularly among aristocrats. upper-class gentleman travel through of western europe without passport , reside abroad minimal bureaucratic regulation. world war i, mass transportation, spread of literacy, , various citizenship concerns changed this.
the belle Époque featured class structure ensured cheap labor. paris metro underground railway system joined omnibus , streetcar in transporting working population, including servants did not live in wealthy centers of cities. 1 result of commuting suburbanization allowing working-class , upper-class neighborhoods separated large distances.
meanwhile, international workers movement reorganized , reinforced pan-european, class-based identities among classes labor supported belle Époque. notable transnational socialist organization second international. anarchists of different affiliations active during period leading world war i. political assassinations , assassination attempts still rare in france (unlike in russia) there notable exceptions, including president marie françois sadi carnot in 1894. bomb detonated in chamber of deputies of france in 1893, causing injuries no deaths. terrorism against civilians occurred in 1894, perpetrated Émile henry, killed cafe patron , wounded several others.
a newspaper headline Émile zola s open letter french government , country, condemning treatment of captain alfred dreyfus during dreyfus affair
france enjoyed relative political stability @ home during belle Époque. sudden death of president félix faure while in office took country surprise, had no destabilizing effect on government. serious political issue face country during period dreyfus affair. captain alfred dreyfus wrongly convicted of treason, fabricated evidence french government officials. anti-semitism directed @ dreyfus, , tolerated general french public in everyday society, central issue in controversy , court trials followed. public debate surrounding dreyfus affair grew uproar after publication of j accuse, letter sent newspapers prominent novelist Émile zola, condemning government corruption , french anti-semitism. dreyfus affair consumed interest of french several years , received heavy newspaper coverage.
european politics saw few regime changes, major exception being portugal, experienced republican revolution in 1910. however, tensions between working-class socialist parties, bourgeois liberal parties, , landed or aristocratic conservative parties did increase in many countries, , has been claimed profound political instability belied calm surface of european politics in era. in fact, militarism , international tensions grew considerably between 1897 , 1914, , immediate prewar years marked general armaments competition in europe. additionally, era 1 of massive overseas colonialism, known new imperialism. famous portion of imperial expansion scramble africa.
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