The age of capital, 1848-1875

432 Pages·1997·7.447 MB·English

by  Hobsbawm, Eric John

Aslob y J.H obswbma:
E.
AGOEF R EVOLUTION
THE 1789-18�
AGEOF E MPIRE
THE 1875--1914
AGOEF E XTREMES
1914-1991
E. HJo.b sbawm
THE AGE OF CAPITAL
18481 875
First publGirsehaeBtdr iitnab iyn
WeidenfaenldNd i colsLotnd 1975
Firpsutb lisbhyeA db acu1s9 77
Reprin1t9e8d0 1,9 841,9 851,9 881,9 89,
19911,9 921,9 9(5t wice)
Copyri©g hEt.J .Ho bsbawm 1975
Allr ighrtess erved.
Nop arotft hipsu blicamtaiyobe n r eproduced,
storienad r etrieval osrty rsatnesmm,i itnta endy,
foromr b ya nym eansw,i thotuhtep rior
permissiionwn r itionftg h ep ublisnhoerber ,
otherwciiser culiant eadfn oyr omf b indionrg
coveort hetrh atnh aitnw hicihti sp ublisahnedd
withoaus ti milcaorn ditiinocnl udtihnigs
conditbeiionngi mposoedn t hes ubsequepnutr chaser.
PrintienEd n glabnydC layLst dS,t I vepsl c
ISBN0 3491 04808
Abacus
A Division of
(UK)
LittBlreo,w ann dC ompany
BrettenHhoaumse
LancasPtlearc e
LondoWnC 2E 7EN
Contents
Illustrations 7
Preface 9
Introduction 13
PAROTN ER:E VOLUTIPORNEALRUYD E
1 'ThSep ringtoifPm eeo ples' 21
PARTTW OD:E VELOPMENTS
2 TheG reaBto om 43
3 TheW odUd nified 64
4 ConflictWsa ra nd 88
5 BuildNiantgi ons 103
6 TheF orcoefsD emocracy '1 22
7 Losers 143
8 Winners 164
9 ChangiSnogc iety 187
PART RESULTS
THREE:
10 TheL and 205
11 MenM oving 228
12 CitIyn,d usttrhyWe,o rkinCgla ss 245
13 TheB ourgeWooirsl d 270
14 ScienRceel,i giIodne,o logy 294
15 TheA rts 324
16 Conclusion 354
Tables 360
Maps 366
Notes 373
FurthReera ding 388
Index 396
Marlene,
To And.rew and Julia
LiosftI llustrations
1 'ThBer itBiesehh ibvyeC 'r uicksh(apnhko tRoa:d iToi mes
HultoPni ctuLrieb rary)
2 Foremeantt heI nternational 1E8x6h(2ip bhiottioo:n ,
VictoarnidAa l berMtu seum)
3 'MrA shtoni'nsg enisotuesaw mi nc(hp'h otVoi:c toarnida
Albert Museum)
4 PostfeorJr o hanSnt rau'sDse'm oliPtoilokn(a S't raCuoslsl ection;
photoR:o bertR ogers)
5 BuildtihneLg o ndounn dergroruanidl weanyg,r av(ipnhgo to:
MaryE vanPsi ctuLrieb rary)
6 Gustave DOovn�eL.ro ndboynR ai(lp hotMoa:n seCloll lection)
7 ManchesftreorBm l ackfrBirairdsg1 e8,5 (9p hotGoe:o rgGer undy,
ManchesPtuebrl Liicb raries)
8 PariBso,u levsaerbda sto(ppohlo tRoa:d iToi meHsu ltoPni cture
Library)
9 PariBso,u levdaersId t ali1e8n64s( ,p hotRoa:d iToi meHsu lton
PictuLriebr ary)
10 'CarvitnhgeJ oinstt'e,r eospchooptiocgr acp.h1 ,8 60 (photo:
VictoarnidaA lberMtu seum)
11 Roomi nL incoClonu ritl,l ustriantt hiIleo lnu strTaitmee1ds8 ,6 1
(photWoe:i denfaenldNd i colsaornc hives)
12 Parissa lo1n8,6 (7p hotRoo:g er-Viollet)
13 Mr WilliaAmcsa'd emcy.,1 86(5p hotLoe:w ishLaomc al History
Library)
14 EyrCer oweT,h eD inneHro urW,i ga(nC itAyr tG allery,
Manchester)
15 ForSet reLeatm,be thY orkW harfc,.1 86(0p hotVoi:c toarnida
AlberMtu seum)
16 Britoiffische irn I ndica.1, 8 7(0p hotRoa:d iToi meHsu lton
PictuLrieb rary)
17 W.W .H ooper',T hLea sotf t heH erdc'.,1 87(7p hotRoo:y al
GeographiScoacli ety)
7
18E migranattsC orkb ounfdo Arm eric1a58,1 e,n gravi(npgh oto:
RadiToi meHsu ltcPni ctuLrieb rary)
19S ettlcearb'iisnn t heR iod el aM anci(sp hotRoa:d iToi mes
HultoPni ctuLrieb rary)
20 Indicaono lliaeb oluary irnagi lw(apyh otWoe:i denfaenldd
Nicolsaornc hives)
21D evilG'ast Ber idgUen,i oPna ciRfiaci lro(apdh otRoa:d iToi mes
HultoPni ctuLrieb rary)
22 Slavaeu ctiino Vni rgicn.i1 a8,06 ,p ri(npth otMoa:n seCloll lection)
23 HenrMyo rtoSnt anlaeryr iivne sA afnr icvainl lafgreo,hm i osw n
sket(cphh otRoa:d iToi meHsu ltoPni ctuLrieb rary)
24 GranBda rricdaudC eh ateda'uE a1u,8 4(8B ibliotNhaetqiuoen ale,
Paripsh;o toR:o ger-Viollet)
25 StormitnhgBe a rricaPdaersi1,s8 7(1ph otEod:i tiRoonbesr tL affo)n t
26 Iroann d Steel BWaorrrko(swp, h otWoe:i denfaenldNd i colson
archives)
27 Embleomf t hAem algamaStoecdi eotfEy n ginee(rpsh oto:
WeidenfaenldNd i colsaornc hives)
28 DailTye lepghr'apsr intmiancgh i(npeh otMoa:n seCloll lection)
29 TheA mericCainv Wialr ,p hotograpbhyWy i lliBarma d(yp hoto:
ManseCloll lection)
30 AttacoknB lacKke ttlVei'lsl apgrei,fn rto Hm aprerW'ese kl1y8,6 8
(photToh:eK ansaSst atHei storSioccaile Ttoyp,e ka)
31 'TheH omelePsoso rP'u,n ccha rto1on8,5( 9p hotWoe:i denfaenldd
Nicolsaornc hives)
MAPS
1 TheW orlidn 1 487
2 TheW orlind c.1 880
3 184S7l:a vearnydS erfdino mt heW estern World
4 1880S:l avearnydS erfdino mt heW esteWronr ld
5
A Worlodn t heM ove
6 WesteCrnu ltuinr 1e 487-18:7O 5pera
8
Preafce
Thougthh ibso oki si ntendteosd t anodn i tosw n,i th appetnosbe the
middlveo lumoef a serioefst hreweh,i cwhi lalt temtpots urvetyh e
histoorfty h em oderwno rlfdr om the FRreevnoclhut tioot nh eF irst
WorldW ar,o fw hicthh ef irhsats l onbege n availaabslT ehe Ageo f
Revolu1t87i9o-n1,8 a4n8dt, h el asitss titlobel writtCeonn.s equetnhtel y
booki sl iketlobey reabdy s omew hok nowt hee arlvioelru maes waesl l
byo thewrhso d on otT.o t hef ormeIar p ologfiozrie n cludhienrgae,n d
thermea,t erailarle afdaym iltioat rh emi,no rdetrop rovitdheen e cessary
backgrountdh lefa otrtS eirm.i laIrh lavyte r iberdi efplayr,t icuilnta hrel y
Conclusion, taof epwpr ooivnitdteeort sh feu tuIrh ea.v nea turatlrliye d
tok eepm aterwihailc dhu plicTahetAe gse o fR evoluttoti hoemn i nimum,
andt om akei tt olerbaybd lies tribiuttt hirnogu ghtohutete xBtu.tt hbeo ok
canb er eaidn dependesnolt olnyag,s r eadeberasr i nm indt haittd eals
not wai stehl f-conpteariinwoehddi ccha nbe tidisleyp araftreodmw hat
wenotn b efoarned c amea fterH.i stoirsny o tl ikteh at.
Ata lelv enittos u ghttobe comprehenstioab nlyer eadweirt ahm odicum
ofg enereadlu catfioorin t,i s deliberateltyot haend odnr-eesxspeIedfr t.
historairaent soj usttihfeyr esourscoecsi ety dteovt ohteeissru bject,
modestth ougthh esaer et,h esyh oulndo tw riteex clusifvoerol tyh er
historSitainalsnl.e , l ementaacrqyu aintwaintEchue r opehains twoirlybel
ana dvantaIg seu.p porseea decrosu ladt,a pincmha,n agwei thoaunty
previkonuosw leodfgte h fe alolf tBhaes tiolrtl heNe apoleoWnaircsb ,u t
suckhn owledwgielh le lp ..
Thep eriwoidt whh icthh ibso okd ealissc omparatsihvoerlbtyu, ti ts
geographisccaolpi esw ideT.ow ritabeo utth weo rlfdr o1m 78t9o 1 84i8n
termosfE urop-ei ndeaeldm oisntt ermosfB ritaainndF ranc-ei sn ot
unrealiHsotwiecv.es ri,n tchee m ajotrh emoef t heq uarter-ctehnetruer­y
after thiese xtensoifot nh e capietcaolniosmttyot hee ntiwroer ladn,d
hencteh e impososfia bniyll ointgywe rri tianp gu reEluyr opehains toirty ,
woulbed absutrodw ritaeb ouitt witphaoyuitsn ugb stanattitaeln ttioo n
othecro ntineHnatvseI. neverthelessi tiw nrt iotoEt uerno cenat ric
mannerP?o ssibIlnye.v itaa Ebulryo pehains tornioaton n lkyn owmsu ch
morea bouhti osw nc ontintehnatan b ouott herbsu,tc annohte lspee ing
theg loblaaln dscwahpiec h surrhoiumfn rdosmh isp articvualnatra ge­
poinItn.e vitaanbA lmye richains torsiaaywn,i, l sle teh es amel andscape
9
somewhadti fferenNtelvye.r theilnet shse, mid-ninceetneteuntrthyhe
histoofrt yh dee velopmoefwn otr lcda pitawlaisss mt icleln trienEd u rope.
Fori nstatnhcoeu,gt hh e USA awlarse aedmye rgianswg h awta se ventually
tobe thger eatiensdtu stercioanlo miynt hweo rlidtw,a sa sy esto mewhat
margiannadls elf-conNtoarii,nn edde.ew da,si ta nu nusuallalrysg oec iety:
in1 87i0t pso pulatwiaosnn o tm uchl argtehra Bnr itaianb'osut,th es ame
be
sizaest haotf F rancaen,da litltelstesh atnh aotf w hatw asa bout to
the GerEmmapni re.
My treatmiesdn itv idiendtt oh reep artTsh.e 1 84r8e volutfioornmas
I
prelutdoea sectioonn t hem aind evelopmoefnt thsep erioTdh.e se
discuisnbs o tha contineanntdaw,lh ernee cessagrlyo,b paelr spective,
rathtehra ans a serioefss e lf-con'tnaaitnieodhn iaslt'o rtiheosu,gi hnt he
be
twoc haptoenrt sh en on-Europweoarnli dtw ould botihm practicable
and absnuorttd od easlp ecificwailtslhey v eral imaproeraatsna dcn otu n­
trienso,t abtlhyeU SA andJ apanC,h inaan dI ndiTah.e c haptaerrse
dividbeydt hemersa,t htehra nch ronologitchaolulgtyhh, em ains ub­
periosdhso ubel dc leadrilsyc ernTihbelsaeer. et heq uiebtu te xpansionist
1850tsh,em oret urbul1e8n6t0 tsh,eb ooma nds lumopf t he1 870Tsh.e
thirpda rcto nsiosfta s s erioefsc ross-sectthiroonustg hhe e conomy,
sociaentdyc ultuorfte h et hiqruda rtoeftr h en ineteceenntthu ry.
My objehcatsn otbe ens om ucht os ummariksneo wfna ctosre, v etno
showw hath appenaenddw henb,u tr athteord rawf acttosg etihnetrao
generhails torsiycnatlh etsoi' sm,a ksee nsoef 't het hirqdu artoefrt he
nineteceenntthu arnydt, o t ratchere o otosft hper esewnotr lbda ctko t hat
perioidn,s ofaasir ti sr easonatbodl oes oB.u ti ti sa lstoo b rinogu tt he
extraordinary cahp aerraiwcohtdie crrh e oaflh laysn op aralilnhe ils tory,
andw hosvee ruyn iquenmeasksei sts tranagnedr emotWeh.e thTehr eA ge
ofC apitsaulc ceiend' sm akisnegn saen'db ringtionl gi fteh ipse riomdu,s t
be leftt or eadetrojs u dgWeh.e thietri sn terpretaartevi aolniesds ,pec ially
whent hedyi sagrweei tmho re accoenpetsme,ud s bet leftt ot hdei scussion
ofm yf ellow-hiswthooer viiadnesn,dt onl oyta lalgr ee witmhe .Ir esitshte
temptatoifot nhe w ritwehro sweo rkh asbe enw idealnyd p assionately
reviewiendt ,e rmrsa ngifnrgo m enthutsoii arsrmi tattoit oank,ie s sue
witthh er eviewtehrosu,gI hh a vter iiendt hiesd ititooen l iminsaetvee ral
misprianntdss o mep laimni statkoew sh icsho meo ft hemh avder awmny
attenttioos nt,r aigohuttea n f ews yntactciocnaflu siwohnisc hha ve
apparenlteldty om isunderstaannddti ont ga,k aec couanttl ,e astm yi n
be
formulatoifos nosm,ec riticwihsimcssh e emt om e to jusTth.e t ext
remaisnusb stantaisbea flolrye .
NevertheIl sehsosu,l ldi kteo r emovoen em isunderstawnhdiicnhg
appeatroes x isets,pec ialalmyo nrge viewwehrossn ea tursaylm pathairees
10