Unit Readings:

     Chapter 19

     Chapter 14

Read the following analysis of political revolutions and apply it to the French Revolution. Write a description of the first 5 stages of the French Revolution, making it fit the pattern of revolutions detailed by Crane Brinton. You should incorporate (and underline) all of the terms below within your analysis.

1. Louis XVI
2. Marie Antoinette
3. 3 Estates
4. Sans-culottes
5. Bourgeoisie
6. Estates General
7. Jacques Necker
8. Cahiers de Doléances
9. National Assembly
10. Tennis Court Oath
11. The Bastille
12. The Great Fear
13. August 4, 1789
14. Declaration of the Rights of Man and Citizen
15. Constitution of 1791
16. Civil Constitution of the Clergy
17. Émigrés
18. Declaration of Pillnitz
19. Jacobins ("the Mountain")
20. Girondists
21. The Convention
22. Revolt in Vendée
23. Reign of Terror
24. Committee of Public Safety
25. Maximilien Robespierre
26. Republic of Virtue
27. Cult of the Supreme Being
28. Law of 22 Prairial
29. Thermidorian Reaction
30. Constitution of the Year III

Based on the theory and stages proposed by Crane Brinton in his book "Anatomy of a Revolution."

1) Most revolutions begin with a financial breakdown (or threatened breakdown) and the discontented (usually more than one group) organize to remedy this breakdown. The government has failed to meet the needs of the people, denied political power to certain groups and lost support of the intellectuals. There is a general increase in protests against the government, with radical demands on the part of the organized discontented. If granted, those radical demands would mean the government would have give up much of its power.

2) There may be a dramatic event (or events) followed by the attempted use of force by the government. This demonstrates the inability of the government to control the course of events. The failure of the government's use of force leads to the attainment of power by the revolutionists (3 below). This stage is prepared by "men of words" (usually dead philosophers) who have great influence now.

3) The revolutionists take over control of the government. The dominating group of the first stages are called the moderates. They are not always in the numerical majority, but they seem to be the natural heirs of the old government, and want their chance to govern. Moderates in the revolutionary movement seize power and attempt a program of moderate reform. This is known as the "honeymoon" period. It appears as if the party of the revolution has won, but it soon becomes apparent that these moderates will have trouble with the extremists.

4) The moderate reforms arouse opposition and violence by counter-revolutions forces and extreme revolutionaries. This stage is characterized by in-fighting among revolutionists that were once united to overthrow the government in stage two of the revolution. Sooner or later the moderates are driven from office to death or exile.

5) After a series of crises, some involving violence and street fighting, extremists or radical revolutionaries rise to power, replace the moderates and employ force and terror against enemies of the revolution. The extremists are helped to power by the popular desire for a strong centralized government, often due to the existence of powerful foreign enemies threatening the new government or of civil war. The extremists are few in number but are fanatically dedicated to their cause. There is an effort to make people behave in total conformity with the revolutionary ideas. Emergency centralization of power, usually in a council which is more or less dominated by a "strong man (or men)" occurs at this stage. The government is without any effective protection for the normal civil rights of the individual. It sets up extraordinary courts and special police, and often rule by terror. Governmental intervention in all human action becomes much greater than in societies in their normal condition. There arises a new ideology to replace religion, which is usually suppressed. There is an attempt to uproot things "contaminated" by the past; changing the ways of addressing people and changing place names. This stage is revolution by "fanatics".

6) There is a slow and uneven return to quieter times. The public becomes sick of bloodletting, terror comes to an end, and the crisis stage of the revolution is over.