Politican and Economic Ideologies in Zolas Germinal
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Political and Economic Ideologies in Zola's Germinal
mile Zola wrote Germinal during a time of great struggle in France during the 19th century: the struggle between capital and labor. This historical fiction novel explores the conflict between the capitalist class and the working class through the eyes of the wealthy bourgeoisie and their workers. In Germinal, Zola tells the story of a struggling mining community that is eventually lead to revolt against their profiting, wealthy mine owners. Zola clearly depicts their struggles through a realistic and detailed look at the capitalist class, which is represented by the mine owners, and the working class, which is represented by the actual miners. The miners' hazardous conditions and low wages set the stage for several different ideologies through characters that represent them.
The Gregorie family, part owner of the Montsou mines, portrays French capitalists in the late 1800's. This family represents a capitalist belief in ". . . an economic system characterized by freedom of market with private and corporate ownership of the means of production and distribution that are operated for profit" (Sherman G-2)...