Social Democracy and Society examines the origins of working-class radicalism in Imperial Germany. The Düsseldorf Social Democratic Party was associated with the left wing of the SPD. It defended theoretical orthodoxy against the onslaughts of revisionism, rejected all cooperation with bourgeois groups, and advocated militant tactics. Professor Nolan argues that the roots of this radicalism extended deep into the Imperial period and sprang from a confrontation between Düsseldorf's working class, which was variously young, highly skilled, migrant, and new to industry, and a political and cultural environment that offered no reformist options. She examines the distinct roles played by peasant workers new to industry, skilled migrant workers, and the indigenous population of Catholic workers. This is the first study to investigate in detail the history of the socialist labor movement in an urban area that was heavily Catholic and to analyze the significance of Catholicism for the political culture of the working class.

Preface
Introduction
Part I. The Era of Frustration: 1890–1903: 1. The hostile environment: Düsseldorf in the 1890s
2. Social democracy and political Catholicism
3. A false start
4. Ideological unity and organizational disarray
Part II. Ambiguous Success and Radicalization: 1903–1912: 5. Skilled migrants, peasant workers, and native Catholics
6. Party building and popular culture
7. Expansion and optimism
8. Move to the left
9. The limits of reformism
Part III. Radicals Become Revolutionaries: 1912–1920: 10. Things fall apart
11. War
12. Revolution
Conclusion
Appendix
Notes
Bibliography
Index.

Subject Areas: Early modern history: c 1450/1500 to c 1700 [HBLH], European history [HBJD]