To What Extent can Individuals be Credited with being Responsible for Revolutions?

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Year 12 History

To What Extent can Individuals be Credited with being Responsible for Revolutions?

Individuals can only be credited to a certain degree for being responsible for revolutions because there are many factors that lead to a revolution. Obviously some individuals can be credited more than others for being responsible for revolutions, but a single individual cannot be credited completely for a revolution. In pre-revolutionary Russia and China, factors such as famine played a major role in being responsible for revolutions, so it is not only people that can take credit for revolutions but world events, weather, disasters and war also. The revolution in February 1917 in Russia can be credited largely to one individual, the Tsar of Russia and also in China the Empress was largely responsible for the revolution in 1911. These leaders, through their incompetence, failed to expel unrest and discontent in their respective countries, which unfortunately led to revolution. Individuals outside of government can also be credited with starting revolutions. These individuals took advantage of current events to aid their own cause, which of course was a revolution.

As Russia and China were ruled by an autocracy, the Tsar and Empress by divine