The historical context of the 19th-century socialist movement can be traced to the rise of industrialization and the stark inequalities it generated. As factories proliferated, workers faced harsh conditions, low wages, and lack of rights. Influenced by the ideas of Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels, socialism emerged as a response to capitalist exploitation, advocating for collective ownership of production means and greater social equality. Movements began forming across Europe, with ideas like socialism and later communism gaining traction among the working class, which sought to challenge existing economic and social hierarchies.