Rhineland Radicals: The Democratic Movement and the Revolution of 1848-1849 by Sperber, Jonathan - 1991

Princeton, NJ: Princeton University Press, 1991. First Edition . Hardcover. Very Good/Very Good. The interior of the book is crisp and clean, showing no marks or wear. The black cloth covers are in excellent condition, with just a touch of wear at tips and corners. The gilt lettering is still bright. The dust jacket has one small fold at the top corner of the front flap, but otherwise looks new. A lovely copy. The jacket is now in a protective mylar cover. Synopsis: "This major interpretation of the Revolution of 1848-1849 in Germany stresses its character as a mass political phenomenon. Building skillfully on the theme of the interaction of self-conscious radicalism and spontaneous popular movements, Jonathan Sperber analyzes the social and religious antagonisms of pre-1848 German society and shows how they were politicized by the democratic political opposition. Leftists engaged in various forms of mass agitation, organized a dense network of political clubs and brought their ideas to broad sectors of the population, both urban and rural. Sperber vividly depicts this feverish political activity and its climax in the wide-spread uprisings of May and June of 1849.