Now, the first characteristic of all socialist ideologies is, I believe, an incessant, vigorous and extreme appeal to the material passions of man. I want only to attempt to uncover those characteristics which are common to all of them and to see if the February Revolution can be said to have exhibited those traits. It is not my intention to examine here the different systems which can all be categorized as socialist. I must know, the National Assembly must know, all of France must know-is the February Revolution a socialist revolution or is it not? I confess that it is principally because of this that I mount the podium today, that the question of socialism might finally be settled. We are duty-bound to clear up this issue, which lies heavy upon the breast of France. Yes, gentlemen, sooner or later, the question of socialism, which everyone seems to fear and which no one, up to now, has dared treat of, must be brought into the open, and this Assembly must decide it. At the bottom of the amendment which is under consideration, perhaps unknown to its author but for me as clear as day, is the question of socialism. NOTHING CAN be gained by not discussing issues which call into question the very roots of our society and which, sooner or later, must be faced. This translation from the transcript of the proceedings, here appears for the first time in English. In the course of his speech he entered onto the subject of socialism, which he considered the logical consequence of recognizing the “right to work,” and devoted most of his time to a discussion of the socialist position.
On September 12th, the Constituent Assembly debated the continuance of this arrangement and Tocqueville rose to speak against it. The new republic believed that the unemployment problem which was plaguing Paris could be solved by setting up government work-projects, guaranteeing employment at a certain wage rate for all who desired it. In February, 1848, the July Monarchy of Louis Philippe was overthrown, and the Second French Republic established.
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