Wednesday, October 30, 2013

October 31, 2013 - Happy Halloween!

Homework - Study for Test and do Content Question # 4

Question # 4 - The ideal of the Enlightenment was to use rationality and science to improve the lives of people and to make a better society.  How did the Age of Progress represent the ideal of the Enlightenment coming to fruition?

Monday, October 28, 2013

October 29, 2013

Homework - Finish the packet of notes.

Question # 3 - Over the long-run, the Industrial Revolution held the promise of lifting the urban and rural poor out of poverty.  This becomes clear with the increase in real wages and life spans in the second part of the nineteenth century (see charts the after question).  British Prime Minister Benjamin Disraeli noted this when he said, “The claims of the future are represented by suffering millions”

The reality was the terrible working conditions and poverty presented a crucial social problem to economic thinkers and governments in the nineteenth century.  This challenge created a division between the liberals (represented by Smith, Ricardo, Mill and Marshall) and radicals (represented by Pierre-Joseph Proudhon and Karl Marx) that could be seen in the violence between radicals and liberals in the "July Days" in Paris in 1848.  In essence, both the liberals and radicals laid claim to fighting for "liberty" - however, they had different ideas of what "liberty" meant.

Question - How was the conflict between liberal and radial economics over whether goal of "liberty" means that society should promote the "freedom to do as one wants" or if it should try to create "freedom from want"?


Friday, October 25, 2013

October 25, 2013

Homework - Read up to the section "Age of Progress"


Wednesday, October 23, 2013

October 23, 2013

Homework - Read up to the section "Philosophy and Ideas about Industrialization - Economic Liberalism".

# 2 – Industrialization of Life – How well does the following quotes describe the conflicting realities of the industrial cities? “From this foul drain, the greatest stream of human industry flows.  Here humanity attains its most complete development and its most brutish; here civilization works it miracles, and civilized man in turned back almost into a savage.” and “In the midst of plethoric plenty, the people perish” describe the conditions of industrial cities?  The word “plethoric” means abundance or great amount.

Consider these three pictures of Coalbrookdale -

Coalbrookdale by Morning


















Coalbrookdale by Night


Friday, October 18, 2013

October 18, 2013

Homework - Read in the Industrial Revolution notes up to the section "Industrialization of Life"

# 1 – Industrial Revolution – In its Millennium issue, the British magazine The Economist wrote, The industrial change, however, was neither as swift nor as complete as is often thought. Tradition describes a roaring take-off between 1770 and 1830, driven by a handful of technological innovations, such as textile machinery and James Watt’s improved steam engines; and, hey presto, Britain is “the workshop of the world”. In fact, the process had begun in the 17th century and was still incomplete in the 1830s, by when only a few industries—mining, metal-working, textiles, brewing—had taken to “factory” methods.” 

In contrast, Nobel Prize winner in economics Robert E. Lucas described the Industrial Revolution by saying, "For the first time in history, the living standards of the masses of ordinary people have begun to undergo sustained growth ... Nothing remotely like this economic behavior has happened before".  

Is it correct to consider development of industrialism in England an “Industrial Revolution”?


Tuesday, October 15, 2013

October 15 & 16, 2013


# 4 – Italian and German unification – How does Bismarck’s quote, “Germany does not look to Prussia’s liberalism, but to her power”, support Bismarck’s practice of the policies of Real Politik?


# 5 German Nationalism & Militarism Prussian “Elector” (basically a king) Fredrick William said, “It cannot be done with the pen if it is not supported by the power of the sword”.  Bismarck said, “The great questions of the day will not be settled by speeches or by majority decisions – but by blood and iron”.  How accurately do these quotes show Prussian leaders’ thought about the use of military power to solve conflicts? 

Thursday, October 10, 2013

October 10& 11th

Homework - Finish the Notes, read to the end of the packet.

Question # 2 Napoleon III - Karl Marx wrote the famous phrase, "Hegel remarks somewhere that all great world-historic factsand personages appear, so to speak, twice.  He forgot to add: the first time as tragedy, the second time as farce" to describe Louis Napoleon (Napoleon III).  Was he correct to be so dismissive of Louis Napoloen's rule of France?

Question # 3 - Revolts of 1848 - British Historian G.M. Trevelyan said, "1848 was the turning point at which modern history failed to turn."  Was he correct in describing the events of 1848 that way?  When answering, describe about how history might have turned at this juncture in time.

Wednesday, October 2, 2013

October 2 & 3, 2013

Homework - Read the "Burke & Mill Reading" on the web page.  Next class will be a discussion on their philosophies and the assigned essay question.

Classwork - Question # 1 “Storm and Stress” & German Nationalism – In 1806, when Berlin was under French occupation, German philosopher Johann Gottlieb Fichte said,
The first, original, and truly natural boundaries of states are beyond doubt their internal boundaries. Those who speak the same language are joined to each other by a multitude of invisible bonds by nature herself, long before any human art begins; they understand each other and have the power of continuing to make themselves understood more and more clearly; they belong together and are by nature one and an inseparable whole”. 

Johann von Herder said both, "spew out the ugly slime of the Seine. Speak German, O You German" and “What a treasure language is when kinship groups grow into tribes and nations. Even the smallest of nations…cherishes in and through its language the history, the poetry and songs about the great deeds of its forefathers. The language is its collective treasure.” 

How do these quotes show Romantic ideas inspired and shaped German nationalism?