Description
Book SynopsisOver the course of the German Empire the Social Democrats went from being a vilified and persecuted minority to becoming the largest party in the Reichstag, enjoying broad-based support. But this was not always the case. In the 1870s, government mouthpieces branded Social Democracy the party of assassins and conspirators and sought to excite popular fury against it. Over time, Social Democrats managed to refashion their public image in large part by contrasting themselves to anarchists, who came to represent a politics that went far beyond the boundaries of acceptable behavior. Social Democrats emphasized their overall commitment to peaceful change through parliamentary participation and a willingness to engage their political rivals. They condemned anarchist behaviorterrorism and other political violence specificallyand distanced themselves from the alleged anarchist personal characteristics of rashness, emotionalism, cowardice, and secrecy. Repeated public debate about the appropr
Trade Review
Gabriel's book is an important and timely study in its own right. It will be welcome reading to those interested in modern German and European socialism, radicalism, political ideologies, and political culture.
* Journal of Modern History *
