1. Adapted from Crane Brinton’s book, The Anatomy of Revolution
STAGES OF REVOLUTION
Adapted from Crane Brinton’s book,
The Anatomy of Revolution

2. REVOLUTION: A VIOLENT OVERTHROW OF A GOVERNMENT

3. PRELIMINARY (Incubation in the Fever Model)
Class antagonism
Economic upgrade, which does not reach the people
Government inefficiency
Inept ruler—Autocrat with absolute power

4. PRELIMINARY (Incubation)
People ask for change (justice)
Autocrat attempts to stop early protests with force (terror), which fails

5. PRELIMINARY (Incubation)
Intellectuals transfer their loyalty from government to the people

6. FIRST STAGE (Symptomatic)
Financial breakdown
Protests against government increase dramatically

7. FIRST STAGE (Symptomatic)
Moderates gain power relatively peacefully
Revolutionary underground (radicals) foment revolution

8. FIRST STAGE (Symptomatic)
Mob psychology
Ignorant
Emotional
Now wants revenge

9. CRISIS STAGE Radicals take control Remove moderates
Enemies attempt to stop radicals:
Civil war
Foreign war

10. CRISIS STAGE Centralization of power in a revolutionary council
Council dominated by a “strongman”
Use common term of address

11. CRISIS STAGE
Try to kill original autocrat
Use terror to rule

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

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

14. FRENCH REVOLUTION

15. PRELIMINARY Class antagonism Heavy, increasing taxes on 3rd Estate
Government inefficiency
Autocrat=Louis XVI
Ignored growing bourgeoisie

16. 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

17. PRELIMINARY Intellectuals transfer their loyalty Philosophes
Enlightened public

18. FIRST STAGE Financial breakdown Wheat famine High bread prices
Protests against government
Storming of Bastille

19. FIRST STAGE Moderates Estates-General National Assembly
National Constitutional Convention

20. FIRST STAGE
Revolutionary underground
Jacobins

21. CRISIS STAGE
Radicals take control
Mobs in Paris took Convention

22. CRISIS STAGE Enemies Civil war Louis XVI Nobles/Emigres Foreign war
Austria
England

23. CRISIS STAGE Revolutionary council Committee of Public Safety
Strongman
Robespierre
Common term of address
Citizen

24. CRISIS STAGE Kill original autocrat Women’s March on Versailles
Flight to Varennes
Louis XVI/Marie guillotined
Use terror to rule
Reign of Terror

25. RECOVERY Revolution turns inward Thermidorean Reaction
Danton/Robespierre killed
Charismatic autocrat
Directory
Napoleon

26. RECOVERY Aggressive nationalism Napoleonic Wars Quieter times
End of terror
Trade freedom for security
Empire

27. Adapted from Crane Brinton’s book, The Anatomy of Revolution
STAGES OF REVOLUTION
Adapted from Crane Brinton’s book,
The Anatomy of Revolution