AI-generated practice question — model-generated for extra practice, not a previous-year CBSE board question.
Two Forces in the 1848 Revolts:
1. Liberal Middle Classes: Made up of professionals, businessmen, and industrialists, they demanded constitutionalism, freedom of the press, freedom of association, and the creation of nation-states governed by elected parliaments. In France, they succeeded in proclaiming a republic with universal male suffrage. In Germany, 831 elected representatives met at the Frankfurt Parliament to draft a constitution for a monarchy subject to parliament.
2. Peasants and Workers: Suffering from food shortages, unemployment, feudal dues, and competition from cheap machine-made goods, they demanded relief from economic hardship — higher wages, the right to work, and an end to exploitation (e.g., the Silesian weavers' revolt of 1845).
Why they failed to unite: The two forces had fundamentally different goals. The middle-class-dominated Frankfurt Parliament actively resisted the economic demands of workers and artisans, causing them to withdraw support. Without mass backing, the parliament was militarily weak. When monarchs and aristocracies opposed it, there was no unified popular force to resist. Troops were called in and the assembly was disbanded.
Source: Chapter 1, Section 3.2 – Hunger, Hardship and Popular Revolt; Section 4 – The Making of Germany and Italy
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Examiners look for: (1) clear identification of both groups with their specific demands, (2) an explicit explanation of the failure to unite — the key cause being the middle classes resisting workers' demands, not just external suppression. Many students mention monarchs crushing the revolution but miss the internal class contradiction. Always quote the Frankfurt Parliament example as it directly shows both forces and their split. Keep the two groups clearly separated before explaining the failure.