How does one account for the rapid growth of socialist parties in Europe in the last 1/4 of the 19th century?

Trying to do an assignment for my AP European History course at school but can't seem to find a coherent answer to this question.
How does one account for the rapid growth of socialist parties in Europe in the last 1/4 of the 19th century?
Europe was slower coming to enlightenment than the U.S. was, but by the time they did, the U.S. was bogged down in conservative idiocy.
Reply:History revisionism that comes with liberalism. Those who cannot learn from history are doomed to repeat it. Liberals are socialists, so instead of learning from history they choose to say that Hitler wasn't a socialist, that communism has nothing to do with socialism, and capitalism is the same as fascism. History revisionism.
Reply:Basically...when a larger percentage of the population becomes the consumers of, rather than the payers of tax...Socialism is a natural result. Politicians realize the only way to get power is to promise free stuff and when the people realize they can vote free stuff for themselves...they do.
Reply:Human frailty. Europe exchanged one group of elitists for another and today it equals Higher taxes, ineptitude of bureaucracy and bankruptcy.





The true danger is when liberty is nibbled away, for expedients, and by parts. --Edmund Burke
Reply:Increased education and the failure of laissez faire economics to do anything other than make the rich richer.
Reply:Stupidity





plain and simple
Reply:Woo... Ap? I got F okay