The Condition of the Working Class in England · Character

The English

The English working class in the aggregate: a people whose nationality has been annihilated by industrialism, leaving them with passions as strong and mighty as any foreigner's.

major

Also known as The English Socialists, The Socialists

First appearance: The Condition of the Working Class in England

As a major figure in The Condition of the Working Class in England, The English is not background color—the story leans on what they do once the chapter opens.

Referred to as the working men of Great Britain, the intended audience of the dedication.

In the storyTo the Working-Classes of Great-BritainOpen this moment free

They are the book's true protagonist, a collective whose inherited respect for property was conquered by want, whose earliest rebellion took the form of crime, and whose energies now turn toward open opposition to the whole condition of their lives. Engels insists they are no longer calculating Englishmen but men whose feelings have been overborne by unrestrained passion, and this is precisely what makes them noblest and most worthy of sympathy. Their revolt, passing through phases from theft to organized protest, is the arc the reader is asked to follow.

See The English in To the Working-Classes of Great-Britain Book page

Free preview opens at this moment — character cards, Character Web, and themes sit beside the text as you read.

Character Web

31 connections

A slice of how The English sits in the book — open the reader for the full interactive map.

Relationship types

Rivalry
Other

Character groups

Factory Critics and Irish Immigrants
Protagonist
Central Figures and Movements

+26 more in the full Character Web

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Narrative arc

Story tension across the book.

Setup
Escalation
Breaking point
Aftermath
Closing

This is the dramatic climax because it marks the emotional and psychological peak where the workers’ suffering…

Full beat labels and climax notes unlock in the reader.

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Relationships

The Irish
rivalry · negative
The English view the Irish as a competitive, disruptive labor force that lowers wages and… How this plays out →
The French
rivalry · negative
Thomas Carlyle
psychological · ambivalent

Relationship notes

How these ties play out is in the reading companion — open the free preview.

See The English in The Condition of the Working Class in England

In the story

The English appears across 11 companion beats. Open any chapter in the free preview to see the notes beside the text.

To the Working-Classes of Great-Britain
Referred to as the working men of Great Britain, the intended audience of the dedication.
The Condition of the Working Class in England
The English working class is the central subject of the chapter, whose suffering and resistance are documented in detail.
The Industrial Proletariat
Referenced as the society experiencing the industrial changes and the Labour Movement.
The Great Towns
The English workingmen are described as coining the term 'social murder' to describe the society's role in their suffering.
Competition
English workers are depicted as being in competition with the Irish and with each other, with their standard of living being dragged down.
Irish Immigration
The English working class is portrayed as being degraded and undercut by Irish competition, forced to compete with a 'competitor upon the lowest plane possible.'
Results
The English working class is described as becoming a race apart from the bourgeoisie, with distinct dialects, thoughts, and customs.
The Remaining Branches of Industry
Mentioned as the workers who are being undercut by Saxon competition, leading to their starvation.
Labour Movements
Described as practical people who express their protest through action rather than theory, and whose workers are noted for their courage and determination.
The Agricultural Proletariat
Referenced in the context of 'agricultural distress' and the general condition of the rural poor.
The Attitude of the Bourgeoisie Towards the Proletariat
The English bourgeoisie is described as deeply demoralized, selfish, and incapable of progress.

Chapter companion notes

Spoil-light check-ins for The English unlock in the free preview.

See The English in The Condition of the Working Class in England

See The English in To the Working-Classes of Great-Britain