STAGES OF REVOLUTION

Adapted from Crane Brinton’s book, The Anatomy of Revolution

REVOLUTION: A VIOLENT

OVERTHROW OF A GOVERNMENT

PRELIMINARY(Incubation in the Fever Model)

Class antagonism–Economic upgrade, which does not reach the people

Government inefficiency –Inept ruler—Autocrat with absolute power

People ask for change (justice)

Autocrat attempts to stop early protests with force (terror), which fails

PRELIMINARY(Incubation)

Intellectuals transfer their loyalty from

government to the people

PRELIMINARY(Incubation)

FIRST STAGE(Symptomatic)

Financial breakdown Protests against government increase dramatically

Moderates gain power relatively peacefully

Revolutionary underground (radicals) foment

revolution

FIRST STAGE(Symptomatic)

Mob psychology –Ignorant–Emotional–Now wants revenge

FIRST STAGE(Symptomatic)

CRISIS STAGE

Radicals take control–Remove moderates

Enemies attempt to stop radicals:–Civil war–Foreign war

Centralization of power in a revolutionary council

Council dominated by a “strongman”

Use common term of address

CRISIS STAGE

Try to kill original autocratUse terror to rule

CRISIS STAGE

RECOVERY(Convalescence)

Revolution turns inwardRadicals removed

–Some killedCharismatic autocrat comes to power

Aggressive nationalismSlow, uneven return to quieter times

People trade freedom for security

RECOVERY(Convalescence)

FRENCH REVOLUTION

PRELIMINARY

Class antagonism–Heavy, increasing taxes on

3rd EstateGovernment inefficiency

–Autocrat=Louis XVI–Ignored growing bourgeoisie

PRELIMINARY

People ask for change–Cahiers de Doleances

Autocrat’s failed attempts to stop early protests

–National Assembly locked out of meeting place

–Ordered NA not to meet

PRELIMINARY

Intellectuals transfer their loyalty

–Philosophes–Enlightened public

FIRST STAGE

Financial breakdown –Wheat famine–High bread prices

Protests against government–Storming of Bastille

Moderates–Estates-General–National Assembly –National Constitutional

Convention

FIRST STAGE

Revolutionary underground–Jacobins

FIRST STAGE

CRISIS STAGE

Radicals take control–Mobs in Paris took Convention

CRISIS STAGE

Enemies –Civil war

•Louis XVI•Nobles/Emigres

–Foreign war•Austria•England

Revolutionary council–Committee of Public Safety

Strongman–Robespierre

Common term of address–Citizen

CRISIS STAGE

Kill original autocrat–Women’s March on Versailles–Flight to Varennes–Louis XVI/Marie guillotined

Use terror to rule–Reign of Terror

CRISIS STAGE

RECOVERY

Revolution turns inward–Thermidorean Reaction–Danton/Robespierre killed

Charismatic autocrat –Directory–Napoleon

Aggressive nationalism–Napoleonic Wars

Quieter times–End of terror

Trade freedom for security–Empire

RECOVERY

STAGES OF REVOLUTION

Adapted from Crane Brinton’s book, The Anatomy of Revolution