ife of the
bourgeoisie. Its land-ownership, in fact, was not feudal, but middle
class. On the one hand, it placed at the disposal of the middle class
the necessary population to carry on manufactures, and on the other
hand, it was able to impart to agriculture a development which
corresponded to the state of industry and of commerce. Hence its
common interests with the middle class, hence its alliance with the
latter.

With the consolidation of the constitutional monarchy in England,
English history comes to a full stop, as far as M. Guizot is
concerned. All that follows is for him confined to a pleasant sea-saw
between Tories and Whigs, and this means the great debate between M.
Guizot and M. Thiers.

In reality, however, the colossal development and transformation of
commercial society in England began with the consolidation of the
English monarchy. Where M. Guizot sees only soft repose and idyllic
peace, the most violent conflicts, the most drastic revolutions, were
in reality developing. First of all, under the constitutional monarchy
manufactures underwent an expansion hitherto undreamed of, in order
then to make way for the great industry, the steam-engine, and the
gigantic factories. Whole classes of the population disappeared, new
classes took their place, with new conditions of life and new needs. A
large new middle class emerged; while the old bourgeoisie fought the
French Revolution, the new captured the world market. It became so
all-powerful that even before the Reform Act placed political power
directly in its hands, it had compelled its opponents to legislate
almost solely in its interests and according to its needs. It captured
direct representation in Parliament and utilized it for the
destruction of the last vestiges of real power which remained to
landed property. Lastly, it is at this moment engaged in razing to the
ground the splendid structure of the English constitution before
which M. Guizot stands in admiration.

And while M. Guizot congratulates the English that among them the
noxious growths of French social life, republicanism and socialism,
have not undermined the foundation pillars of the unique all-blessing
monarchy, the class antagonisms in English society have been
developing to a point that is without example in any other country. A
middle class without rival in wealth and productive forces confronts a
proletariat which is likewise without rival in power and
concentration. The trib