After the seventeenth century crisis of order, Europeans gradually moved towards the idea of liberal democracy and capitalism, hoping to model their society with the ideals "liberty, equality, and fraternity." While Europeans have not been fully successful in reaching their envisioned ideals of liberty, equality and fraternity the human and individual rights, equality, and violence can be examined to show the continuous movement of societies towards these goals. Upon examining these aspects of society in multiple countries, it is clearly seen that progress has been made throughout Europe. While the progress has been seen across European society, it is important to understand that this progress happens at various rates and leads to different results and moral values of the society across the continent. Upon examining the progress in various countries one of the key elements affecting the values and beliefs of a society is the government, specifically what type of government is in place. The way the government is constructed determines the structure of society as well as the beliefs and values of the society. .
The need for better individual and human rights are often the initial trigger for change or revolution. While European society has promoted some improvement in human and individual rights, the change in consciousness and society beliefs often requires reevaluation of the needs for human and individual rights. Reevaluation is often overlooked or ignored until there is a revolution by the people forcing the government to change human and individual rights. The fight for individual and human rights began by the working class with the rise of communism. Communism relies on the doctrine that material resources are community property, prior to any form of individual ownership, and that such resources are best dispersed through forms of community control. Controlling the production and manufacturing industry created anger amongst the working class.
