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 autocrat  Use terror to rule CRISIS STAGE

RECOVERY (Convalescence)  Revolution turns inward  Radicals removed –Some killed  Charismatic autocrat comes to power

 Aggressive nationalism  Slow, uneven return to quieter times  People trade freedom for security RECOVERY (Convalescence)

FRENCH REVOLUTION

PRELIMINARY  Class antagonism –Heavy, increasing taxes on 3 rd Estate  Government 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