Ch 01 - What is a revolution? Flashcards
What significant event occurred on the morning of July 14, 1789, in Paris?
A crowd of Parisian workers attacked the royal prison of the Bastille, joined by deserting soldiers with cannons, and forced their way into the fortress, killing the governor and parading his head on a pike.
What was King Louis XVI’s reported reaction to the storming of the Bastille?
He reportedly asked the Duc de la Rochefoucauld, “Is this a revolt?” to which the duc replied, “No Sire, it is a revolution!”
How have revolutions varied in history?
Revolutions range from nonviolent to bloody civil wars, and from producing democracies and liberty to establishing brutal dictatorships.
What are the two great visions of revolutions?A:
1.The heroic vision sees revolutions as the rise of downtrodden masses, guided by leaders to overthrow unjust rulers and establish social justice.
2.The opposing vision views revolutions as eruptions of chaos, with masses demanding blood and revolutionary leaders bringing destruction.
Who were notable critics of the chaotic view of revolutions?
Edmund Burke, Thomas Carlyle, and Charles Dickens, along with critics of the Russian and Chinese revolutions.
What larger movement was the storming of the Bastille supporting?
The National Assembly, led by representatives of the Third Estate, or commoners, which had declared itself the true leader of France three weeks earlier.
What questions about revolutions does the text seek to answer?
Why revolutions occur, why they surprise us, how they evolve, and how they shape national and global politics.
Who were notable critics of the chaotic view of revolutions?
Edmund Burke, Thomas Carlyle, and Charles Dickens, along with critics of the Russian and Chinese revolutions.
What conditions lead to revolutions?
Weak and isolated rulers, elites attacking rather than defending the government, and people believing they are part of a united, righteous group capable of change.
What defines a revolution?
The forcible overthrow of a government through mass mobilization in the name of social justice, creating new political institutions.
How do recent “color” revolutions differ from earlier ones?
They are typically rapid and nonviolent, such as the People Power Revolution in the Philippines and the Orange Revolution in Ukraine.
What differentiates revolutions from other forms of social unrest?
Revolutions involve forcible governmental change, mass participation, and institutional transformation, often driven by a vision of social justice.
How did Mao Zedong’s approach to revolution differ?
He spent over 20 years mobilizing the peasantry and fighting the Nationalist regime before taking power in the Chinese Communist Revolution.
What role do ideologies and narratives of social justice play in revolutions?
They are critical for mobilization and outcomes, shaping revolutionary identities and framing actions.
What are peasant revolts, and how do they differ from revolutions?
Peasant revolts are local uprisings against landlords or state agents, usually seeking government help for local issues rather than systemic change.
What are grain riots?
Mass mobilizations to protest food shortages or high prices, involving grain seizures, attacks on merchants, and demands for price controls or subsidies. They typically seek government help rather than regime change.
What types of disruptive events are often mistaken for revolutions?
Peasant revolts, grain riots, strikes, social and reform movements, coup d’états, and civil wars, which only sometimes lead to revolutions.
Where do grain riots usually occur?
In cities where people depend on market prices, but also in rural areas at points of grain transit or storage.
Provide an example of grain riots.
Grain riots occurred in more than a dozen African countries during the high global food prices in 2007-8.
