19th century France was nicknamed the “Unstable Era” because of the political instability and the constant shifts in governmental power at this time. Following the overthrow of Napoleon, many political/military figures vied for government positions causing strife in the country. Because of this, the country was not well off economically so many people, like Zola, lived in poverty. Most of the French population was comprised of factory workers in the cities and farmers in the rural areas – the working class ("An Unstable Era" 369).

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            In 1870, the Franco-Prussian War broke out, and France lost to Germany. This was detrimental to France’s pride because they lost territory to Germany, and the war brought an end to Napoleon III’s empire. The devastating aftermath served as a reminder that the working class enjoyed little pleasure from society. Because of this, socialism began to catch hold in France because people believed this was the only way to gain equality ("The Beginnings of Modern Realism" 374). This focus on the working class becomes very prevalent in Zola’s contributions to naturalism. 

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            On the other hand, Europe was making huge strides in science in this era, especially with Darwin’s publication of The Origin of Species in 1859. In his book, he argued two theses: 1) all living things have descended from a “common ancestry”, and 2) the evolution of living things is explained by “survival of the fittest” ("The Beginnings of Modern Realism" 377). Darwin’s findings would also become instrumental in Zola’s foundation of naturalism.