Midterm Exam Terms Flashcards
Structural Theory
A sub-theory of Chalmers Johnson that regards revolutions as the attempts of average people to respond to abnormal situations. Contributes to understanding why some movements.revolutions appear to be more important than others. Broad perspective that raises questions of the enduring historical impact of revolutions.
Petty Beourgeoise
Refers to a social class comprising of semi-autonomous peasantry and small scale merchants. Used by Karl Marx and other marxist theorists to identify the socio-economic stratum of the bourgeoisie that comprised small-scale capitalists.
Relative Deprivation
According to Ted Gurr, “relative deprivation” is the discrepancy between what people think they deserve, and what they actually think they can get.
Sun Yat Sen
Chinese physican/revolutionary, and the first president of the republic of China (ROC) in 1912. Considered the “forerunner of democratic revolution” in peoples republic of china (PRC). Sun played an instrumental role in the overthrow of the Qing Dynasty.
Viollette Plan
A bill submitted to the French Parliament in 1936 that aimed at giving 30,000 Muslims in Algeria full rights without the loss of their Muslim status. The senate defeated it in 1938 and it was never brought before the chamber of deputies. Convinced many of the assimilated Algerians to peruse other directions of reform, leading to the Algerian war of independence. Some call it a “lost opportunity” that could have prevented the war.
Conspiracy (Gurr)
According to Gurr, conspiracy is a likely form of revolution when there is high elite relative deprivation and low mass relative deprivation.
Jacoban Revolution
The Jacobans were the most famous and influential political club in the development of the French revolution. They had a session of the legislative assembly in which they wanted to suspend the monarchy in France. After the reigning government executed Louis the XVI, wars with several countries started. In the wake of this, the Jacobans used this to seize power. Their extreme egalitarianism and violence led to the revolutionary government from 1793 to 1794.
Dialectical Materialism
A theory of Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels. It is a way of understanding reality, it is the theoretical foundation of Marxism (Communism).
Multiple dysfunction
Wide spread serious disequilibrium in a society. An element that is required in a society necessary for revolution according to Chalmers Johnson. Along with an intransigent elite and an x-factor.
General’s Putsch
An insurrection of the French army and ultras against the Gaulle government. They attempted to use the army to control Algeria and remove Gaulle from office. Some air force and army units reused to cooperate and in days the insurrection had fallen apart.
NSDAP
Stands for the National Socialist German Workers Party. This is commonly referred to as the Nazi Party. The NSDAP was active in Germany between 1920-1945 and practiced the ideology of Nazism.
Process Theory
A category of revolutionary theories by Chalmers Johnson. In summary, process theory states that “change causes change”. New information and situations develop continuously and outcomes can never be predicted on basis of a movements origin.
Dictatorship of the Proletariat
A Marxist sociopolitical thought that refers to a state in which the working class has control of political power. It was coined by Joseph Weydemeyer and was adopted by the founders of Marxism, Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels.
Kornilov Affar
An attempted Coup d’etat by the commander-in-chief of the Russian army, General Lavr Kornilov in 1917. The affair was intiated when Kerensky requested that Kornilov move forces loyal to the provisional government into Petrograd to counter the threat of the radical Petrograd garrison. Kornilov marched on Petrograd intent on removing revolutionary elements from the provisional government.
CAP
Combined Action Program - Operational initiative implemented by the US marines in Vietnam. One of the more effective counterinsurgency tools in the war. Small numbers of marine units strengthened by Vietnamese militia of older men and older youth from an adjacent hamlet. Prevented the enemy from using the hamlet as a sanctuary. Won hearts in minds.
Means of production
According to Marxist Theory, the raw materials and means of labor (tools, machines, etc) employed in the production process.
Mao’s stages of revolution
1) organization, consolidation and preservation of base areas, usually in difficult and isolated terrain.
2) Progressive expansion by terror and attacks on isolated enemy units to obtain arms, supplies and political support.
3) Decision, or destruction of the enemy in battle.
Classical Historical Modernization Equation
Modernization is a key part of the theory of Barrington Moore. Modernization in an economy has been known to instigate class shifts and therefore political change. A great example was the modernizing french society on the verge of the french revolution. The third estate had a developing middle class that felt under represented.
Munich Putsch
Also known as the beer hall Putsch, was a failed coup attempt by Nazi leader Adolf Hitler in Munich, Bavaria in 1923. Hitler was arrested and charged with treason.
Democratic Centralism
Organizational method used by the Bolsheviks. Party stance unification.
Kronstadt
A major unsuccessful uprising against the Bolsheviks in 1921. It was led by Stepan Petrichenko. Led to Vladimir Lenin’s and the communist part’s decision to loosen its control of the Russian economy by implementing the New Economic Procedure.
Tennis Court Oath
When members of the French third estate were locked out of their usual meeting hall by the nobleman and clergy on June 17th. Thinking the kind was attempting to disband them, they moved to a near indoor tenis court. There the took an oath not to separate until a written constitution had been established for France. On June 27th, King Louis XVI relented and ordered the clergy and the nobility to join with the third estate in the national assembly.
Rasputin
Self-proclaimed holy man who befriended the family of Tsar Nicholas II and gained significant influence in late imperial Russia. He was assassinated by conservative nobleman in 1916.
Opium Wars
Disputes over British trade in China. The two wars in 1839-1842 and 1856-1860 weakened the Qing dynasty and forced China to trade with the rest of the world. The first war ceded Hong Kong inland to the British and the establishment of several treaty ports. The second war surrounded the legalization of opium trade in china and resulted in further treaty ports.
Hindenburg
The 2nd president of Germany from 1925-1934. Appointed Adolf Hitler to the rank of chancellor of Germany in 1933, leading to Hitlers full control of Germany.
November Criminals
Hitler and many other Germans found it impossible to except defeat. During the war, Adolf Hitler placed alot of this blame on Jews and Marxist in Germany for undermining the war effort. According to Hitler and many other, the German Politicians who signed the armistice on November 11th 1918, would become known as the “November Criminals.”
Meisel addendum to Brinton’s stages of revolution
An added 5th stage to Brinton’s stages of revolution. In this 5th stage, subversion of revolution to right wing authoritarian figure occurs. Russia/Nazi germany. Stalin is a good example.
Prussian Junkers
Members of the landed nobility in Prussia. Maintained great estates that were maintained and worked by peasants with few rights. Many argue that the junkers spurred Nazism.
Thermidor
A part of Crane Brinton’s Theories in the Anatomy of Revolution. A thermidor period is when the moderates regain power from a reign of terror or “crisis” period. characterized by the establishment of a “tyrant”, an unconstitutional ruler brought to power by revolution. Brings back many pre-revolutionary ways. Brings aggressive nationalism.
Guerrilla Foco
A theory of revolution developed by Marxist Ernesto “Che” Guevara from his book Guerrilla Warfare, based on his experiences during the 1959 Cuban Revolution. Its central principle is that vanguardism by cadres of small, fast moving paramilitary groups can provide a focus for popular discontent against the sitting regime.
