| THE LOWER CLASSES UNDER
THE OLD REGIME |
FRANCE |
RUSSIA |
BOTH |
| THE PEASANTS
|
| Over 80% of the population |
- |
- |
x |
| Subjection to aristocracy |
- |
- |
x |
| Hostility to the aristocracy
|
- |
- |
x |
| General loyality to the monarch
initially |
x |
- |
- |
| Land hunger (population growth)
|
- |
- |
x |
| High taxation (nobles resisted
reform) |
- |
- |
x |
| Some Improvement in Previous
Status |
- |
- |
x |
| Recent Crisis |
- |
- |
- |
| agrarian |
x |
- |
- |
| war |
- |
x |
- |
| Tradition of protest and riot
|
- |
- |
x |
| Prior targets of bourgeoisie
ideologists |
- |
x |
- |
| Crisis in domestic industry |
x |
- |
- |
| Recent revolutionary
experiences |
- |
x |
- |
| Collective organizations (communes,
mirs) |
- |
- |
x |
| Preponderance of army enlistees
|
- |
- |
x |
|
| THE WORKERS
|
| Small minority of population
|
- |
- |
x |
| Dislocation of
industrialization
(shift from craft to factory) |
- |
- |
x |
| Concentration in major cities
|
- |
- |
x |
| Crisis threatening food supply
(famine, war, hoarding) |
- |
- |
x |
| Strong anti bourgeoisie feeling
|
x |
- |
- |
| Tradition of riot and protest
|
- |
- |
x |
| Tradition of organization |
- |
- |
- |
| long standing |
x |
- |
- |
| recent |
- |
x |
- |
| Prior targets of bourgeoisie
idealogists |
- |
x |
- |
| Recent depression, unemployment.
inflation |
- |
- |
x |
| Recent revolutionary experience
|
- |
x |
- |
|
| LOWER CLASSES DURING THE
REVOLUTIONARY YEAR |
- |
- |
- |
| PEASANTS |
| Spontaneous attacks on aristocracy and
feudal system |
- |
- |
x |
| Redefination of people as a
nation |
- |
- |
x |
| Demands for peace |
- |
- |
|
| Land |
- |
- |
x |
| Bread |
- |
- |
x |
| Anti-bourgeoisie or anti-capitalist
actions |
- |
- |
x |
| Mobilization of bourgeoisie against
common enemies |
- |
- |
x |
| Protest forcing the pace of the
revolution |
- |
- |
x |
| Susceptable to fear and rumors
|
- |
- |
x |
| Actions inspiring fear in
bopurgeoisie |
|
|
x |
| Actions inspiring tension with town
dwellers |
x |
- |
- |
| Early satisfaction of major demands,
then essentially opposed to further revolution |
x |
- |
- |
| Mobilization for further
revolution |
- |
x |
- |
| Patriotic response to foreign
threats |
x |
- |
- |
|
| WORKERS
|
| Early strikes, demonstrations, riots,
crucial in igniting the revolution |
- |
- |
x |
| Overriding concern with food
supply
(particularily with the women) |
- |
- |
x |
| Impatience with pace of change of
governing bodies |
- |
- |
x |
| Early organization into revolutionary
bodies |
- |
- |
x |
| Extensive acquisition of arms
|
- |
- |
x |
| Actions inspiring fear in the
bourgeoisie |
- |
- |
x |
| Mobilization for continued
revolution |
- |
- |
x |
| Focus on revolutionary ideology
|
- |
x |
- |
| Patriotic response to foreign
threats |
x |
- |
- |