Democratic society

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The Democratic Society was a society founded in Cologne in 1848, the primary goal of which was to establish a social order based on popular sovereignty . Well-known members included Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels .

Emergence

In view of the May elections in 1848, a central electoral committee was founded in Cologne , in which the liberal and democratic forces of the Cologne bourgeoisie gathered in order to prepare for the upcoming elections. A 17-point program was drawn up that was clearly liberal and made no statements about republican reforms. This liberal election program meant that the democratic forces in Cologne, which were striving for a democratic state order, no longer felt represented by the Central Election Committee . As a result, the democratic members of the electoral committee resigned on April 18, 1848 and formed together with other members on April 25, 1848 the Democratic Society .

politics

The members of the Democratic Society met once a week to formulate their goals and plans. A program of its own was developed here quickly after the association was founded. In contrast to the liberal election program of the Central Election Committee , the demand for complete popular sovereignty formed the basis of the program of the Democratic Society . In contrast to the Central Election Committee , the Democratic Society quite consciously supported the ideas of the revolutionary forces in Germany. Potentially controversial topics, such as the social question of the workforce, were not addressed in order not to endanger the unity within society. This fundamental attitude was one of the reasons why a permanent alliance with the Cologne workers' association , which it aspired to, was rejected and only a joint committee was set up.

Members

The membership structure of the Democratic Society was very diverse. In addition to educated citizens, there were numerous craftsmen and workers, many of whom were also organized in the Cologne workers' association. Due to the focus of the democratic society on the establishment of a social order supported by popular sovereignty, the association also became interesting for some communists. So were Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels in the society after their return from England. In particular, Marx took the view that the democratic society was an ideal nucleus for a communist overthrow because it ignored the initially unimportant issues such as the social question of the working class.

Other members: Andreas Gottschalk , Hermann Becker , Heinrich Bürgers , Wilhelm Wolff , Peter Gerhard Roeser , Schneider II , Friedrich Thesmar , Karl Cramer , Anton Gladbach , Moritz Rittinghausen , Jean Jansen .

Literature and Sources

  • General assembly of the democratic society in the Eiser'schen Saale on July 15th . In: The Guardian on the Rhine . 1st dozen. No. 8 (July 1848).
  • General assembly of the democratic society on August 11, 1848 in the Eiser'schen Saale . In: The Guardian on the Rhine . 2nd dozen. No. 2 of August 25, 1848.
  • General assembly of the democratic society on August 24, 1848 in the Eiser'schen Saale . In: The Guardian on the Rhine . 2nd dozen. No. 1 of August 23, 1848.
  • Marcel Seyppel: The Democratic Society in Cologne 1848/49. Urban society and the emergence of parties during the bourgeois revolution . Janus, Cologne 1991 (Cologne writings on history and culture 15) ISBN 3-922977-35-9
  • Gisela Mettele: Bourgeoisie in Cologne 1775 - 1870. Public spirit and free association . Oldenbourg, Munich 1998 ISBN 3-486-56386-6
  • Peter Röben: The historical development of employee participation in Germany . (Oldenburg, Univ., Examination paper, 2006)

Web links

See also

Individual evidence

  1. ^ Gisela Mettele (1998): Citizenship in Cologne 1775-1870: Common sense and free Association, ISBN 978-3486563863
  2. ↑ Peter Röben: Historical Development of Workplace Co-Determination in Germany (2006)
  3. ↑ Printed in: Marx-Engels-Gesamtausgabe . Department I. Volume 7, De Gruyter Academy Research, Berlin / Boston 2016. ISBN 978-3-11-045760-5 , p. 766.
  4. ↑ Printed in: Marx-Engels-Gesamtausgabe . Department I. Volume 7, De Gruyter Academy Research, Berlin / Boston 2016. ISBN 978-3-11-045760-5 , p. 771 ff.
  5. ↑ Printed in: Marx-Engels-Gesamtausgabe . Department I. Volume 7, De Gruyter Academy Research, Berlin / Boston 2016. ISBN 978-3-11-045760-5 , p. 766 ff.