A People’s History of Modern Europe

Product Description

The origin of capitalism and modern industrialism—and, not unrelated, the birthplace of Marxism—modern Europe provided the perfect conditions for a great number of political revolutions. From the monarchical terror of the Middle Ages to the mangled Europe of the twenty-first century, A People’s History of Modern Europe tracks the history of the continent through the deeds of those whom mainstream history tries to forget.

Along the way, William A. Pelz examines the German peasant wars of Thomas Müntzer, the bourgeoisie revolutions of the eighteenth century, the rise of the industrial worker in England, the turbulent journey of the Russian Soviets, the role of the European working class throughout the Cold War, and the revolutionary students in 1968. He then brings his story to the present day, where we continue to fight to forge an alternative to a heartless and often barbaric economic system.

As Germany and Greece argue over who owes what, with the very idea of Europe crumbling around them, Pelz’s accessible, provocative history could not be timelier. Sure to resonate with fans of books like Howard Zinn’s A People’s History of the United States, this people’s history sweeps away the tired platitudes of the privileged and provides an opportunity to understand the story of Europe from the ground up.

Review

“A People’s History of Modern Europe cuts through some of the myths . . . that shape perceptions about Europe in much of the English-speaking world. . . . Pelz’s myth-busting clears the way for a sweeping account of historical developments from the Middle Ages to post-communist Europe. . . . But of course he gives them a history-from-below twist.” ― Against the Current

"In this lively and engaging book, Pelz takes the reader through a thousand years of European history from below. This is the not the story of lords, kings and rulers. It is the story of the ordinary people of Europe and their struggles against those lords, kings and rulers, from the Middle Ages to the present day. Written in a lucid and accessible style, A People's History of Modern Europe is a fine introduction to the subject which will be appreciated by students and activists alike." ― Socialist History

"From the Peasants’ Revolt of 1381 to the collapse of the Soviet Union, Pelz presents a challenging alternative to the conventional narratives of European history, putting the sufferings and the resistance of working women (often written out of history) and men at the centre of the story. There are strikes, riots, mutinies and revolutions, but they are carefully entwined with economic structures and conflicts and with aspects of everyday life. Based on a wide range of sources, it gives us a comprehensive but concise account, illuminating its arguments with a mass of concrete detail." ― Ian Birchall, author of The Spectre of Babeuf

"Pelz’s A People’s History of Modern Europe is an alternative reading of modern European history, a sharp break with the standard commentaries on the subject. Beginning with the Middle Ages, the book is a fascinating journey across centuries towards the world as we experience it today in the 21st century. However, as distinct from the established names who figure most prominently in the popular accounts of this long period, it is the voice of the ordinary people, the less prominent figures, the women in particular, their ideas and actions, protests and sufferings that have gone into the making of this alternative narrative and therein lies the strength and uniqueness of the volume. A product of rigorous research, yet very comprehensive, it is a book of a different genre, which would remind the reader of A.L. Morton’s A People’s History of England and the writings of Eric Hobsbawm." ― Sobhanlal Datta Gupta, University of Calcutta

"This is a history of Europe that doesn’t remove the Europeans. Here there are not only kings, presidents, institutions but the pulse of the people and social organizations that s