Red Secularism: Socialism and Secularist Culture in Germany 1890 to 1933

Red Secularism explores the intersection of secularism and socialism in late nineteenth-century Germany, examining the organizations that promoted a humanistic-monistic worldview and its impact on the lives of ambitious self-educated workers and early feminists. It shows how generations of secularist intellectuals influenced the Social Democratic Party but often lost positions due to dissent, and how it played a crucial role in the political struggles over religion that led to the National Socialist dictatorship in 1933.

Format: Hardback
Length: 336 pages
Publication date: 30 November 2023
Publisher: Cambridge University Press

Red Secularism is a groundbreaking exploration into one of the primary drivers of radicalism in modern German history, the subculture that emerged at the crossroads of secularism and socialism in the late 19th century. This comprehensive study delves into the organizations that propagated their humanistic-monistic worldview through popular science, shedding light on how this perspective influenced the lives of ambitious self-educated workers and early feminists. Author Todd H. Weir showcases how generations of secularist intellectuals secured prominent positions within the Social Democratic Party, only to sometimes lose them due to their penchant for dissent. Spanning local and national developments, this book examines the pivotal role of red secularism in the political battles over religion that rocked Germany and ultimately contributed to the rise of the National Socialist dictatorship in 1933. Red Secularism is an essential addition to the Flip it Open Programme and is also available Open Access. For more details, please visit Cambridge Core on our website.

Weight: 694g
Dimension: 159 x 236 x 27 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781107132030