Blackburn's "Revolution from Below"

While it is easy for one to become distracted with contributions towards a revolution from the Parliament, the aristocracy, and middle class conflicts, it is important to take into account how German peasants led to the rise of fascism as well.

Blackburn discusses how the forces that are changing the lives of peasants are being determined beyond their control. For example, standardized school systems are taking away from the farm labor force and influencing children to do otherwise. At the same time, railroads enable easy access from villages to cities, so all of the new components to the city are going to the villages.

I think his point is the idea of the lives of peasants going unchanged (i.e. the notion of farmers standing out in a field unaffected by the political and industrial atmosphere) is no longer valid. Blackburn says we must take into account that these new factors are changing their lives. Thus, explaining his claim that "history is made from below, not just from above".

As attempts at peasant integration and the lives of peasants going without aide of modern innovations continue, these two factors will create discontent among peasants and would ultimately be an outlet for fascists to gain power.