...To what extent was the French Revolution of 1789 a bourgeois revolution? The French Revolution was a revolutionary movement which signified the end of the ancien régime and the increase of the ‘bourgeois’ class. However, it is still a long debated topic of interest when it comes to the idea if the French revolution was a bourgeois revolution or did other events come into play. Throughout 1787 and 1789 ‘one step led to another through a series of moves and counter-moves that later proved to have been an escalation’ of problems already highlighted earlier on in the history of France. To begin with, we analysis the idea presented in the original question of to what extent was the French revolution of 1789 a bourgeois revolution. When it comes to the events that led to the French Revolution ‘the origins must therefore be sought not merely in the general conditions of Europe, but in the specific situation of France’. This was due to the ongoing conflict between the ‘vested interests of the old régime and the new rising social forces’ which were much more prominent in France. These new rising social forces are more than likely the bourgeois class so this clearly highlights the fact that the French revolution was indeed to with if not caused by the bourgeois. It has also be stated that the French revolution was purely down to an uprising which instated the ideology and literally actions which allowed the ‘middle class to assume power by overthrowing the political and social order...
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...There were several causes and effects of the upheavals and new ideologies that occurred after the French Revolution and during the Industrial Revolution. In 1815, the Congress of Vienna met and set up a system of checking other nations in order to prevent one nation from holding too much European power as France had under Napoleon. These checks on nations led to relative peace. Checks that were placed on France led to increased Belgian and Dutch territory as well as small Prussian territorial gains. In order to create a balance of power, the Congress of Vienna also increased Austrian and Russian territory. When Napoleon escaped from Elba, he returned to France to briefly rule again. His defeat at Waterloo led to the European Congress...
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...Modern society owes much of its origin to a great upheaval in the 18th century, the French Revolution. It was one aspect of a broader pattern of change that, since the Renaissance and Reformation, has set the West on a different path of development from that of the rest of the world. This pattern included the individualism and, in the end, the secularism, that was the Protestant legacy. It also included the rise of science, as a method and as a practice. This culminated in explosive events toward the end of the 18th century. The French Revolution ‘was a phenomenon as awful and irreversible as the first nuclear explosion, and all history has been permanently changed by it.’ The French Revolution is largely regarded as an important event in modern international history because of the way it has had international impact and continued to have international repercussions and influences on society and thought today. This essay will look at different aspects of the French Revolution and discuss how the different components of the revolution have affected the world and the impact of these at the time of the event. For the purposes of this essay the French Revolution will be defined as the insurrection in France that began in 1789 and ended in 1815 with the defeat of Napoleon at the Battle of Waterloo. The actual dates of the revolution are widely contested but for the purposes of this essay, these dates will be used as a framework. Modern international will be assumed to mean the...
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...The French Revolution James Henderson HIS 104 World Civilizations II Instructor: Christopher Davies December 2, 2012 The French were going through some difficult times during the 17th century. The people of France wanted change and church leaders did not want change. Whit the Age of Exploration explorers form France were branching out and they were gathering new information about cultures, trade, and religion. Ideals from Enlightenment help the French in their revolution for change. Many Historians have looked at the causes for many years and each one added new light to the situation the French were in. Edmond Burk was the first historian to study the French revolution he suggested that Philosophers were the root cause of the revolution (Cranston, 1989). Everything these people believed in came from the political theorist and this was called Enlightenment. What was said, what was thought, and what was advocated came from Enlightenment (Cranston, 1989). However, the theorist did not share the same ideas. The French Revolution went through many different phases unlike the English and American Revolutions (Cranston, 1989). The first phase was called Montesquieu. In this phase the Montesquieu claimed liberal constructional monarchy was best (Cranston, 1989). The second phase is called the republican phase. In this phase more science and technology took hold. The French Kings did not want to have any part of it (Cranston, 1989). The French Kings wanted to keep...
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...American and French Revolutions: Compared and Contrasted The history of the human race always has been, and most likely will always be, that of evolution and revolution. – Lewis F. Korns, Thoughts A revolution occurs when one government is overthrown and replaced with another (Yahoo). The American and French revolutions can be both compared and contrasted in their origins and outcomes. Both revolutions began due to the common peoples’ need to obtain independence and liberty from an oppressive government (2). The American Revolution was triggered by the American colonists’ need for financial independence from the overpowering nation of Great Britain, while the French revolution was a struggle to gain social equality among the masses. Although the American and French Revolutions were fought over some of the same ideas, the American Revolution is considered more "conservative" than the French is (2). The intent of the American revolutionaries was not to initiate a revolution, but rather to gain their freedom from a "long train of abuses" (Jensen). In contrast, the French were trying to cause a true revolution because they were not just fighting for freedom but rather to over throw and remove the monarchy (3). The American revolutionaries had no choice but to defend their liberties and the tactics used by the Americans were not as directly aggressive as those used by the French. The American and French Revolution both have...
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...The impact of the French Revolution on the twentieth century totalitarian systems. by Kinga K. Krajewska The French Revolution is one of the most significant events of the modern era. Not only has it changed a countenance of France, but it has also considerably affected the further history of Europe and the world. Nevertheless, the essence of its significance raises controversy among scholars. In a long tradition of historiography of the French Revolution there can be extracted several major concepts: the liberal approach represented by historians such as Alexis de Tocqeville or Francois Mignet, the Classic or Marxist interpretation, which considers the French upheaval as a 'bourgeois' revolution, and the Revisionism. The last-named has abolished the myth of the social interpretation and has brought a new conception of the Revolution as highly political. Probably the most influential revisionist work on the French Revolution is Francuas Furet's Penser la Revolution francaise (1978; English translation- Interpreting the French Revolution, 1981). It assumes the revolutionary events as remarkably anti-democratic and emphasises its connection with the totalitarian systems. The book has stated quite an innovative thesis, which has become an object of evaluation for both academics and the general public. Thus, this essay is to demonstrate the impact of the Revolution on the totalitarianism of the twentieth century and to indicate the major similarities as well as their...
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...* * * * * * * Inspirations for the French Revolution * University of Phoenix * As French philosopher Denis Diderot stated, “Man is born to think for himself.” His bold ideology became the backbone of a revolution that would forever change the social and political situation in Europe (Repression, 2006). The French Revolution demanded the end of a corrupt monarchy, giving the country back to its citizens. Not only did the idea of individuals thinking for themselves flourish, but so did the ideas of national unity, individual liberty, and social equality. Out of the new sense of unity and liberty, however, a large amount of hubris entered the general attitude of French citizens, creating massive egos and the ultimate violence that led to the Reign of Terror. * The American Revolution that took place between 1765 and 1783 provided an example to those in Europe fighting for their rights. By declaring independence, America proved that “old regimes” can be overthrown. Those who fought in America and returned to France began to tell stories of a life where men are equal and freedom is a reality. With the enactment of the United States Constitution in 1788, ideas of the Enlightenment were solidified and validated (Impact of Revolution, n.d.). Enlightenment thinkers gained great momentum, calling for social and political change all over Europe. French revolutionaries eventually created the slogan, “Liberté, egalité, fraternité,” as a direct result...
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...Chapter 17 Atlantic Revolutions and Their Echoes 1750–1914 MARGIN REVIEW QUESTIONS Q. In what ways did the ideas of the Enlightenment contribute to the Atlantic revolutions? • The Enlightenment promoted the idea that human political and social arrangements could be engineered, and improved, by human action. • New ideas of liberty, equality, free trade, religious tolerance, republicanism, human rationality, popular sovereignty, natural rights, the consent of the governed, and social contracts developed during the Enlightenment, providing the intellectual underpinnings of the Atlantic revolutions. Q. What was revolutionary about the American Revolution, and what was not? • The American Revolution was revolutionary in that it marked a decisive political change. • It was not revolutionary in that it sought to preserve the existing liberties of the colonies rather than to create new ones. Q. How did the French Revolution differ from the American Revolution? • While the American Revolution expressed the tensions of a colonial relationship with a distant imperial power, the French insurrection was driven by sharp conflicts within French society. • The French Revolution, especially during its first five years, was a much more violent, far-reaching, and radical movement than its American counterpart. • The French revolutionaries perceived themselves as starting from scratch in recreating the social order, while the Americans sought...
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...Of all the Events of European history, the French Revolution of 1789 is without doubt one of the most important and controversial. Similarly Napoleon Bonaparte has to be amongst the most written on and opinion dividing individuals world history has ever seen. Therefore the question as to weather Napoleon was an heir to the revolution, its saviour, hijacker, or simply consolidator is probably the most frequently asked question regarding the revolution and Napoleon. In this essay I will be attempting to answer the question of weather Napoleon was an heir to the French Revolution. This will involve me firstly exploring my definition of the term heir, and my views on the explanations and definitions of the French Revolution. Having done this I will then move on to examine the reign of Napoleon. By doing this I hope to prove my view that, whilst Napoleon may be considered an inevitable consequence of the revolution, he was not its heir. In my opinion the word heir describes a person's or events natural successor. Therefore the term heir to the revolution would in my opinion be used to describe the next regime, which came to embody the principles and morals of the revolution. The revolution's heir must be the regime that follows on from were the revolution left France, and presides over, or creates the kind of society the revolutionaries of 1789 intended to. It is my belief that Napoleon and the Napoleonic regime did not either preside over or create this kind of society and as...
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...Revolution is defined as the replacement of an old system with a new one, usually implemented forcefully. During the period of 1789-1799, the French revolution was revolutionary to an extent. France saw varying dramatic changes socially and politically. Its ideas, driven by the enlightenment movement, (thought which challenged divine right and promoted the use of reason and thinking for ones-self) influenced the global political landscape, and laid the foundations for future revolutions. The declaration of the rights of man was certainly revolutionary for its time, and such a document has been the precursor to modern day human rights. The very idea France, a country so traditionally routed in absolutist rule, had a revolution to challenge...
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...Was Napoleon An Heir to the French Revolution? Of all the Events of European history, the French Revolution of 1789 is without doubt one of the most important and controversial. Similarly Napoleon Bonaparte has to be amongst the most written on and opinion dividing individuals world history has ever seen. Therefore the question as to weather Napoleon was an heir to the revolution, its saviour, hijacker, or simply consolidator is probably the most frequently asked question regarding the revolution and Napoleon. In this essay I will be attempting to answer the question of weather Napoleon was an heir to the French Revolution. This will involve me firstly exploring my definition of the term heir, and my views on the explanations and definitions of the French Revolution. Having done this I will then move on to examine the reign of Napoleon. By doing this I hope to prove my view that, whilst Napoleon may be considered an inevitable consequence of the revolution, he was not its heir. Get help with your essay In my opinion the word heir describes a person's or events natural successor. Therefore the term heir to the revolution would in my opinion be used to describe the next regime, which came to embody the principles and morals of the revolution. The revolution's heir must be the regime that follows on from were the revolution left France, and presides over, or creates the kind of society the revolutionaries of 1789 intended to. It is my belief that...
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...Atlantic Revolutions, 1600-1825 The revolutions of the eighteenth century have their origins in political and cultural developments of the seventeenth century. Of course, they were also products of all of major developments the European conquest of the Americas, the rise of kingdom states and empires, the tremendous wealth that resulted from the expansion of global trade, and the development of colonial cultures and societies in the Americas. Scholars call these cultures and societies creole societies, because they blended elements of European, native American, and African culture and society. Developments in England, 1641-1688 But revolutions are also inspired by ideas, and ideas that we may take for granted today had much of their start in England. Political conflict in Great Britain was a common theme of the seventeenth century. In 1641, a civil war led to the execution of the king (Charles I), and the establishment of a republic, what was known as the Commonwealth. Politics and religion both played a part in the Civil War, with the English nobility and wealthy commoners (whose interests were represented in Parliament, England’s legislature) wanting a greater say in how royal revenues were raised and spent. This republic quickly became a military dictatorship, and the old king’s son (Charles II) was invited back. But when Charles II died, the next king soon ran into trouble with Parliament, who feared that this king, James II, wanted too much power for himself. So in...
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...contrast: The French and American Revolution Revolution has been seen throughout many nations during man’s reign on this earth. While there are a multitude of factors and reasons behind what creates an uprising of a country, the conclusions of these revolts certainly have one thing in common, that is change. As seen in the American and French Revolutions, citizens dealt and suffered unjust rule, taxation, and social isolation. These two rebellions took place in the same era and are generally grouped together by scholars, even many who would argue that one influenced the other. Under closer examination, while many comparisons can be made, many profound contrasts can be distinguished. This essay will review main occurrences in these two historical events, focusing on the comparisons and contrasts of factors such as causes, goals, and outcomes of both the American and French Revolutions. Both the American Revolution and the French Revolution were born of dire economic conditions. While this similarity is true, each country had their own separate financial issues that led to each respective rebellion. The roots of the American Revolution stemmed from the taxation upon the Colonists by the monarchy of the British. Taxes were not something that citizens of the new world were unfamiliar to, but the issue was more vested in just reasoning behind the increased taxes on the Colonies, this idea birthed a familiar phrase of the revolution, “taxation without representation”. The French Revolution...
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...Instructor: Christopher Davies The enlightenment of the 18th century brought about new ways for religions and politics for the French Revolution. With the new ideas would help impact the French Revolution from 1789 to 1799. The enlightenment ideas about religion and society shaped the policies of the French Revolution. “The constant arrival of ships meant that ideas from Europe also traveled across the ocean, including those from Enlightenment thinkers and later revolutionary France. Some inhabitants of Saint Domingue embraced these ideas, but others reviled them. The grandsblancs especially became concerned when certain Enlightenment thinkers attacked slavery. They also disliked the emphasis on the rights and freedoms of the middle class, represented on Saint Domingue by the petitsblancs and gens de couleur. The petitsblancs, meanwhile, welcomed idealistic notions of justice and freedom because they resented the aristocratic dominance of the grandsblancs.” Getz, T.R. & Brooke, J.E. (2012). World history: The human experience from 1500. San Diego, CA: Bridgepoint Education, Inc. There were a lot of impacts related to the French Revolution as for political, social and culture. The political impacts that were related to the French Revolution are the political ideologies Nationalism and socialism. French nationalism, and nationalism as such, paradoxical in four ways. In their conception, nations often arise from states; in France, monarchs first...
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...Why and What Do We Compare? The Story of Revolution and Democratization Mehrzad Boroujerdi, Syracuse University Introduction The field of comparative politics starts with the assumption that knowledge in the social sciences must proceed by way of the search for comparisons, or what has been called "suggestive contrasts." Scholars of comparative politics compare in order to discover similarities and explain differences. As infrequent and highly complex events, revolutions have attracted a great deal of attention from comparativists. In this article, we will address the following topics: • The Concept of Revolution • Why Revolutions Happen? • Can Revolutions be Predicted? • What Do Revolutions Accomplish? • What Are some of the Failures of Revolutions? • Comparing Characteristics and Outcomes of Some Revolutions • Questions The Concept of Revolution: According to the American philosopher Richard Rorty "revolution," like such other words as "reason," "democracy," and "socialism" is a "thick word" which can be contrasted with such "thin words" as truth, dialogue, and justice. How do we define a "revolution?" How are revolutions distinct from other forms of political change such as Coup d'état, rebellion, mutiny, insurrection, or uprising? All of the above nouns may denote acts of violence aimed at changing or overthrowing an existing order or authority. However, there are important legal and political differences among them as well. ...
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