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. Crane Brinton’s Anatomy of a Revolution
He borrowed his terms from pathology.
Compares a revolution to a disease.

4. FEVER MODEL OF REVOLUTION
Much like an illness, revolutions can also be studied in stages

5. What would this stage be like in a revolution?
This stage in an illness is when the cause of the sickness first comes into contact with the individual, infecting them, but not yet causing any symptoms to present themselves.
What would this stage be like in a revolution?
In a revolution, this stage would involve the political, social, intellectual,
or economic causes. In some cases, these causes could fester for
many years before showing themselves in the form of actual
revolutionary action.

6. What would this stage be like in a revolution?
Sickness affects person in observable ways Temp may rise; cough might present ; individual might become weak & queasy.
What would this stage be like in a revolution?
1st part to involve direct action resulting from social, political, intellectual, or economic causes of incubation stage. Might involve the publication of works calling for a change, street level riots by common people, or more direct attempts at changing society.

7. What would this stage be like in a revolution?
Critical stage 2 things can happen individual either breaks the fever after a heightened stage of illness OR gets progressively worse & does not recover.
What would this stage be like in a revolution?
Crisis Stage
Make or break part of struggle. May involve conflict where sides for & against revolution compete. (could take the form of debate or full-scale war) Successful revolutions survive this stage- those that don’t are failed rebellions.

8. Recovery from illness. Individual might be weakened from experience, but he or she will eventually emerge healthy & w/ new knowledge & experience that might prevent illness from occurring again.
What would this stage be like in a revolution?
Convalescence
Recovery from the extreme disruptions of crisis stage. Political, social,
intellectual, or economic causes of revolution must be addressed in
some way, though not necessarily to satisfaction of all revolutionaries.

9. Preliminary Stage

10. PRELIMINARY STAGE Class antagonism Government inefficiency
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
Intellectuals transfer their loyalty from government to the people

11. Initial Stage

12. INITIAL STAGE Financial breakdown
Protests against government increase dramatically
Moderates gain power relatively peacefully
Revolutionary underground (radicals) foment revolution
Mob psychology
Ignorant
Emotional
Now wants revenge

13. Crisis Stage

14. CRISIS STAGE Radicals take control Enemies attempt to stop radicals:
Remove moderates
Enemies attempt to stop radicals:
Civil war
Foreign war
Centralization of power in revolutionary council
Council dominated by a “strongman”
Use common term of address
Try to kill original autocrat
Use terror to rule

15. Recovery

16. RECOVERY 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

17. Security vs. Freedom
Security
Freedom

18. French Revolution

19. Preliminary Stage

20. Causes of the French Revolution

21. Class Antagonism First Estate: 100,000 Catholic clergy
Did not pay taxes
Second Estate: 400,000 nobles
Exempt from many taxes
Third Estate: Rest of population
Sans-culottes
Provided bulk of French tax revenue
In 1780s, 50% of revenue went to pay off debts
American War for Independence
Lavish lifestyle of the monarchy

22. Government Inefficiency
Need for tax reform
Louis XVI hoped to raise taxes on ancien régime
Aristocracy resisted reforms and pushed Louis to not make changes
Forced Louis to call the Estates-General for the first time since

23. People Ask for Change
Cahiers de Doleances

24. Autocrat’s Failed Attempts to Stop Early Protests
National Assembly locked out of meeting place

25. Intellectuals Transfer Their Loyalty
Enlightenment ideals from the philosophes
Popular sovereignty & natural rights (Locke)
Political & legal equality (Rousseau)
Personal freedoms (Voltaire)
Global influence of Enlightenment values
American War for Independence

26. Initial Stage ( )

27. Financial Breakdown Series of bad harvests 1787 & 1788
High bread prices

28. Protests against the Government
Storming of the Bastille
Women’s March on Versailles

29. Moderate Governments National Assembly 1789
Declaration of the Rights of Man and Citizen
Legislative Assembly

30. Revolutionary Underground
Jacobins

31. Crisis Stage ( )

32. Radicals Take Control National Convention 1792 - 1795
Arrest of Louis XVI
August 10, 1792
National Convention

33. Enemies of the Revolution Increase
Civil war
Louis XVI
Nobles/Emigres
Foreign war
Austria
England

34. Revolutionary Council and Strongman
Jacobins
Sans culottes
Committee of Public Safety
Robespierre
Common term of address
Citizen

35. Kill the Original Autocrat
Louis guillotined
January, 1793 (38)
Marie guillotined
October, 1793 (37)

36. Uses Terror to Rule Reign of Terror Led by Robespierre
According to records 16,000+ died under the guillotine
Historians estimate could be as high as 40,000
“The first maxim of our politics ought to be to lead the people by means of reason and the enemies of the people by terror.”

37. British View of Reign of Terror

38. Recovery Stage ( )

39. Revolution Turns Inward
Festival of the Supreme Being
June 8, 1794
Thermidorean Reaction
July, 1794

40. Charismatic Autocrat
Directory
Napoleon
1799

41. Aggressive Nationalism
Napoleonic Wars

42. Quieter Times Napoleon’s domestic policies Napoleonic Code
Schools and universities
Revised tax code

43. Trade Freedom for Security
Empire

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