Eric hobsbawm is considered by many the greatest historian alive. From paris to frankfurt to budapest to naples, liberal protesters rose. Hobsbawms opening chapter is a dazzling survey of the world specifically, the european world on the eve of the dual revolution. Jan 03, 2012 eric hobsbawm age of capital 18481875. Although written in 1962, its still fresh, and perhaps even more relevant today in our postend of history era. Jan 11, 2015 eric hobsbawm is my favourite historian. He died in london in october 2012 at the age of ninetyfive. Much of the info in this response is drawn from tom stammerss and patrick glens an analysis of eric hobsbawms the age of revolution, which i published in 2015 lets start by looking at the state of play when the book was first published in 1962, then at what hobsbawm says, then at current historiography.
Eric hobsbawm was born into a jewish family in 1927 to an austrian mother british father. Having read deeply and widely on economic and world history, hobsbawms study attempts to understand the era in its entirety and incorporates a wide body of literature into a coherent narrative. The age of revolution, 17891848 quotes showing 110 of 10 as a means of alleviating poverty, christian charity was worse than useless, as could be seen in the papal states, which abounded in it. The age of revolution is eric hobsbawms survey of western europe during the years between 1789 and 1848. This detailed literature summary also contains topics for discussion and a free quiz on the age of revolution. How it was that one society, europe, came to dominate the world, but could not resolve its own internal contradictions, is the theme of eric hobsbawms the age of empire. Indeed in the nineteenth century we increasingly find most notably in germany that they became unwilling to begin revolution at all, for fear of its incalculable consequences, preferring a compromise with king and aristocracy.
For hobsbawm the age of extremes follows those of revolution, capitalism and empire on which he has already written at length and with great distinction. Early americanists certainly werent paying attention. A powerful and unsettling book, eric hobsbawms age of extremes brings to a close the series of historical studies he began in 1962 with the age of revolution. Ideologically a lifelong marxist, his sociopolitical convictions influenced the character of his. Oct 01, 2012 for many, perhaps most, readers, the standout will be the sweeping fourpart overview of european history from the french revolution to the soviet collapse that hobsbawm launched with age of. Hobsbawm then explains the importance of the technological revolution in powering the golden age era before and after both the world wars. In it, hobsbawm comments on what he sees as the disastrous failures of state socialism, capitalism, and nationalism.
Pdf an analysis of eric hobsbawms age of revolution macat. His broad history of europe, the age of revolution. Beginning shortly after the new year in 1848, europe exploded into revolution. Eric hobsbawm historian age of revolution capital empire extremes. The age of revolution, 17891848 eric hobsbawm znanje. The age of revolution i7891848 eric hobsbawm vintage books a division of random house, inc. Despite hobsbawms virtuosityor, perhaps, partly because of itthe age of revolution was largely ignored by american academics. Everyday low prices and free delivery on eligible orders. The age of revolution was the first volume of hobsbawms trilogy on nineteenthcentury europe. Europe 17891848 summary the age of revolution is eric hobsbawms survey of western europe during the years between 1789 and 1848. He is best known for his trilogy of studies on the long 19th century the age of revolution. For many, perhaps most, readers, the standout will be the sweeping fourpart overview of european history from the french revolution to the soviet collapse that hobsbawm launched with age of.
Europe, 17891848 this is the book in which hobsbawn gets to put his marxist views to the development of capitalism and the industrial revolution in europe, a time period which must seem like a gift from the heavens to his school of historians. Hobsbawm organized his long nineteenth century into three distinct ages, each addressed in its own book. Preceded by the age of revolution, 17891848 1962 and the age of capital, 18481875 1975, this completes hobsbawms probing analysis of the forces that shaped and defined the 19th century. The age of empire, 18751914 by eric hobsbawm, paperback. Britains industrial revolution 17801850 sparknotes. Hobsbawm analysed the early 19th century, and indeed the whole process of modernisation thereafter, using what he calls the twin revolution thesis. By the 1780s, the british industrial revolution, which had been developing for several decades, began to further accelerate. The short twentieth century, 19141991, acts as a sequel to the trilogy. Hobsbawms the age of revolution, 17891848 was containing the history chapters about the changes of economy, politics, law, culture and daily life between 1789 french revolution and 1848 revolution in europe. When hitler came into power in 1933, they moved to england. It transformed everyday life in both rich and poor countries, albeit to a less extent. Eric hobsbawm has produced a superb overview of the middle threequarters of the 20th century.
The age of revolution is eric hobsbawm s survey of western europe during the years between 1789 and 1848. The age of revolution was driven, hobsbawm argued, by modernitys dual revolutions, a french political revolution. Revolution was a time of great scientific discoveries. The most successful, and probably the best, of his 16 books the age of extremes 19141991, the final volume in his ambitious threepart history of the world since the french revolution. The age of revolution 17891848 and the age of capital 18481875. A summary of the revolutions of 1848 1848 in s europe 18481871.
Hobsbawm wrote the age of capital, 18481875 about the. This magisterial volume follows the death of ancient traditions, the triumph of new classes, and the emergence of new technologies, sciences, and ideologies, with vast intellectual daring and aphoristic elegance. A summary of britains industrial revolution 17801850 in s europe 18151848. Major events covered during that period include the storming of the bastille marking the beginnings of the french revolution and the publication of the communist manifesto by karl marx, signaling the widespread political upheaval in europe that comes in 1848. In my post attacking immigration control i mentioned that i was going to study nationalism. Mar 08, 2016 hobsbawm then explains the importance of the technological revolution in powering the golden age era before and after both the world wars. The age of revolution 17891848 eric hobsbawm presented to prof. His approach continues to be thematic rather than chronological. The age of capital examines the years 1848 1875 and is a work of synthesis.
Age of extremes is broadly chronological, but does not offer a narrative of events, instead tackling broad themes in nineteen largely selfcontained chapters. He developed the influential concept of the invention of tradition, dissected nationalism, studied a variety of aspects of working class culture from banditry and bread riots to jazz, and, above all, delineated the creation of the modern. The topics on which hobsbawm focuses are the advent of total war, the russian revolution. The start of world war i in 1914 even more than the russian revolution in 1917 represented, in hobsbawms estimation, the great historical turning point separating an age of human progress from one of increased barbarism. Supersummary, a modern alternative to sparknotes and cliffsnotes, offers highquality study guides that feature detailed chapter summaries and analysis of major themes, characters, quotes, and essay topics. Although written in 1962, its still fresh, and perhaps even more relevant today in our postendofhistory era.
It is the first in a trilogy of books about the long 19th century coined by hobsbawm, followed by the age of capital. Major events covered during that period include the storming of the bastille marking the beginnings of the french revolution and the publication of the communist manifesto by karl marx. Europe 17891848, and followed in 1975 and 1987 respectively with the age of capital, 18481875 and the age of empire, 18751914. He says that there are three striking characters about that technological revolution. The first in eric hobsbawms dazzling trilogy on the history of the nineteenth century. He coined the term twin revolution to emphasize how the ideological changes of the french revolution 17891799 synergized with the technological advancements of the industrial revolution 1780 to 1840. Europe 17891848 by british historian eric hobsbawm looks at the effects of the french and industrial revolutions. Much of the info in this response is drawn from tom stammerss and patrick glens an analysis of eric hobsbawm s the age of revolution, which i published in 2015 lets start by looking at the state of play when the book was first published in 1962, then at what hobsbawm says, then at current historiography. Eric hobsbawms age of revolution the rational colonel. This is an introductory section, summarising the most important points of this work in one 10minute read. If anything, this book is better than the age of revolutions, and that was in itself really good. This study guide consists of approximately 28 pages of chapter summaries. Hobsbawms age of revolution the world in the 1780s the. Between 1789 and 1848 the world was transformed both by the french revolution and also by the industrial revolution that originated in britain.
Hobsbawm wrote the age of capital, 18481875 about the history of capitalism after industrial revolution. Eric hobsbawms analysis of nationalism, part 1 critiqueof. The short twentieth century, 19141991 is a book by eric hobsbawm, published in 1994. Jan 16, 2015 hobsbawm s opening chapter is a dazzling survey of the world specifically, the european world on the eve of the dual revolution. Hobsbawm, who lives and works in london at the ripe old age of 94, is probably the worlds best, and bestknown, marxist historian. The age of revolution was the first volume of hobsbawms trilogy on nineteenth century europe. Hobsbawm sees the revolution in france, as well as subsequent revolutions on the european continent, as dual revolutions, where the demand for political change came on top of rapid industrial and economic changes. Eric hobsbawm combines a historians store of information with the analysis of a sociologist, psychologist. His oeuvre constitutes a monumental demonstration of what marxist history can do. Pdf an analysis of eric hobsbawms age of revolution. Learn exactly what happened in this chapter, scene, or section of europe 18481871 and what it means.