Socialism and the Social Movement in the 19th Century

"Socialism and the Social Movement in the 19th Century" by Werner Sombart is a scholarly work analyzing the rise of socialism as a major social force during the 1800s. It investigates socialism's origins, influential thinkers, and the societal and economic factors that fueled its expansion, but it also presents a critical look at the social movements that emerged in reaction to significant economic shifts. The study begins by presenting Sombart's perspective on social movements, highlighting the crucial role of social classes such as the proletariat, in pushing for a revised social structure to benefit their interests, and argues that these movements arise from the interactions between socioeconomic systems and the unhappiness of certain social classes. Sombart claims that the modern social movement is closely linked to capitalism, suggesting that the proletariat's existence is a result of capitalist production, thereby providing insights into how these working classes organized and sought change.