Karl Marx wrote in the Communist Manifesto that “The history of all hitherto existing society is the history of class struggles.” Analyze the quote and select the statement about events in France during the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries that best supports this argument.(1 point)

Question

Responses

Women led a march on the Palace of Versailles to demand cheaper bread prices.
Women led a march on the Palace of Versailles to demand cheaper bread prices.

Conservatives supported the Bourbon Restoration.
Conservatives supported the Bourbon Restoration.

The Second French Republic granted universal suffrage to all men.
The Second French Republic granted universal suffrage to all men.

Napoleon was defeated by the British at the Battle of Waterloo.

Answer 1

To analyze the quote from Karl Marx in the context of events in France during the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries, you must consider those events in terms of class struggles or conflicts between different social classes.

Marx's assertion that "The history of all hitherto existing society is the history of class struggles" suggests that the driving force behind historical change and societal transformation is the conflict between classes with opposing interests—typically the oppressed and the oppressors.

Now, let's examine the events listed in terms of class conflict:

1. **Women led a march on the Palace of Versailles to demand cheaper bread prices.**
- This event reflects a clear example of class struggle. The women who marched were primarily from the lower socio-economic classes who were directly affected by the high prices and scarcity of bread. Their action was a protest against the policies and conditions that emanated from the ruling classes, which included the monarchy and the aristocracy. This event clearly supports Marx's argument that societal conflicts are rooted in class struggles.

2. **Conservatives supported the Bourbon Restoration.**
- The Bourbon Restoration was the period where the monarchy was re-instated after the fall of Napoleon. This is not a direct example of class struggle; rather, it is an instance of political change where the conservatives (who might align with higher social classes favoring traditional monarchy) were supporting a return to monarchical rule. Though it involves class interests, this does not provide a clear-cut example of class struggle as the central dynamic.

3. **The Second French Republic granted universal suffrage to all men.**
- The granting of universal manhood suffrage by the Second French Republic was a significant step towards political equality and can be seen as a victory for the lower classes, as it provided them with a political voice. This extended political power to common men, instead of it being confined to the higher classes (the bourgeoisie and aristocracy). Therefore, it is indicative of a response to class struggle, aligning with Marx's perspective.

4. **Napoleon was defeated by the British at the Battle of Waterloo.**
- This event was a military conflict, with the defeat of Napoleon marking the end of his rule and the Napoleonic Wars. It doesn't directly involve class conflict; it was rather a conflict between nation-states. As such, this event doesn't support Marx's argument about class struggles as the central driving force of history.

In summary, the statement that best supports Karl Marx's argument about class struggles is the first one, where women led a march on the Palace of Versailles to demand cheaper bread prices, as it explicitly presents a confrontation between the needs and actions of a lower economic class and the ruling class's control over resources and policy.