Were The Causes Of The French Revolution Mainly Short Term?
Were The Causes Of The French Revolution Mainly Short Term? There has been much historical debate over the origins of the French Revolution and the significance of the causes involved. Without question social factors and the idea of a conflict between the different classes are of importance in understanding why the French Revolution took place. The role of the Bourgeoisie holds considerable weight although there is disagreement over the exact nature of how this class contributed to the outbreak of revolution. Historians, such as Lefebvre in his 'Quatre-Vingt-Neuf', argue from the Marxist perspective that the ultimate cause of the Revolution was their rise and subsequent demands whereas revisionist historians such as Cobban have disputed this claim, stating 'the Revolution was not the work of a rising bourgeoisie at all, rather a declining one'1. He instead puts forward the idea that although the bourgeoisie was carrying out a large amount of the work of the government, they were not receiving the authority they deserved and thus demanded reform. The government remained politically inactive and there was a failure to bring about genuine reform at a time of growing antagonism and criticism of the existing order. As well as the reforming impetus of the bourgeoisie, the peasantry was another social group who played a crucial role in the actual outbreak of revolution. The
Chinese Revolution of 1911.
A. Plan of the investigation In this essay, an essential part of the Chinese history will be examined, the revolution of 1911. More specifically, it is the empress dowager Tz'u-hsi, one of the last emperors of China, which will be the focus of the study, and why the Chinese empire fell only three years after her death in 1908. In the essay, arguments will be presented both for and against the statement that it was due to the empress dowager that the empire did not fall before 1908. In order to address the question, multiple sources will be used. The aim is to use sources with varying perspective, with differing date of publication and nationalities of authors. By doing this, a wider picture will be given instead of only using sources written from the same perspective. Secondary sources with primary sources included in them will be used. In the essay, two of the sources used will be evaluated in detail by critical reading and comparing figures. The sources evaluated will be The revolution of 1911 and China this century. B. Summary of evidence In 18511 the young girl that was to become empress Tz'u-hsi entered the court as a concubine. She gave birth to the emperor's son and after the death of the emperor she came to take a big part in the rule of the country since her son was too young to climb the throne. When her son came to the age where he could take power, also he died
Critically examine a number of factors that, together, contributed to the take off of the British Industrial Revolution in the early 19th Century.
This essay will (1) critically examine a number of factors that, together, contributed to the takeoff of the British Industrial Revolution in the early 19th Century. It will then (2.1) critically explain a number of social changes which took place with Britain as a direct result of industrialization and will (2.2) examine a number of other changes that occurred around the same time. This essay will then (3) analyse the reasons why the state and industry would wish to work together, whilst (4) understanding the consequences of the industrial system for the role of the state. This essay will review information taken from a number of literature sources, whilst arguing for and against the points raised. It will discuss, through the main body of the text, how the industrial revolution affected the lives of the nineteenth century people it touched, before coming to a well structured conclusion based upon the facts, arguments and related points considered. The reasons for the take-off in the industrial revolution are manifold, but all play their role. It started with the land enclosure of the early 18th century, when representatives of the government traveled the country enclosing land. This land was cultivated, and eventually, became arable. This land was so well farmed that it produced crops of a higher quality than had been seen before. The same can be said about
Discuss the role of silver in linking the economies of Asia, the America's and Europe during the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries.
Discuss the role of silver in linking the economies of Asia, the America's and Europe during the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries. Up until the fourteenth century the four main commodities traded globally where gold, silver, copper and shells, however in the early part of the sixteenth century silver became the dominant medium of change with China introducing it as its main form of currency. As a result of this, for the first time China needed to engage in trade outside that of its neighbouring states. Spain at this time was becoming an increasingly powerful empire not only as a result of its expansion within Europe but also as it continued to increase its empire over sea's, with the founding of Manila in 1571 allowing for the first time direct trade between China and the America's. Historians have examined what impact the evolution of the global silver market had upon linking the economies of Asia, the America's and Europe and whether it was in fact partly due to silver that the early modern world became for the first time interconnected. If it is assumed therefore that silver did in fact link the economies of Asia, the America's and Europe historians can also examine the repercussions that this had on individual economies and societies positive and negative, and whether 'the legacies of global economic linkages that emerged by the end of the 16th century are visible
Eighteenth-century uprisings were in some important ways different than those of today different in themselves, but even more in the political context in which they occurred. Discuss.
Michael Thompson HST 118 "Eighteenth-century uprisings were in some important ways different than those of today - different in themselves, but even more in the political context in which they occurred." Discuss. Viewpoints of the mob in colonial America vary considerably, some contemporaries dismissed rebels as "lawless men, nothing more than agitators or demagogues",1 while some modern historians such as Pauline Maier claim uprisings drew from all stretches of society, fought for popular issues and assumed an extra-legal role.2 While Maier's view is valid in that many mobs did adopt an extra-legal role (this is documented in the works of other scholars such as Edward Countryman and Gordon Wood), it cannot be applied to all uprisings in colonial America. There were still outbreaks of violence unrelated to community issues, driven by private interests; much crowd action in the 1760s featured property grievances between peasants and landowners.3 Firstly, it is important to address Maier's generalisation of uprisings, as they tended to be unrelated and unique in character. Countryman claims that rebels in the 1760s thought of themselves locally and followed no common scheme;4 this is significant as solutions to grievances varied geographically. In areas of Massachusetts a town meeting may have been enough, whereas in Virginia no such institution existed and desires of the
Account for the collapse of the Tsarist regime in February 1917.
Account for the collapse of the Tsarist regime in February 1917. Fiona Simpson This essay will endeavour to reveal how the events leading up to the Revolution of 1917, would have a profound effect on the Romanov dynasty. By showing how the cumulative effect of a prolonged struggle would prove overwhelming, deaths and casualties by the million, soaring inflation, a dislocated communications system, hunger and deprivation and the bewildered and ineffectual ministers and more importantly an incompetent tsar, eventually became major contributory factor's in the collapse of the tsarist regime. Russia was a huge empire of many different peoples, it was held together by one man, Nicholas 11, known as the Tsar (emperor). His family the Romanovs had ruled the country for around Three hundred years. Most of his subjects were peasants, although the number of industrial workers was increasing. He had a largely loyal population, growing industrial wealth and complete power. It might seem that he had no real problems to face. Yet, despite his wealth and power, he was faced with difficult and critical choices. These difficult and critical choices would again help to become a contributory factor for the collapse of Tsarism in February 1917. Towards the end of 1613, a young Mikhail Romanov was elected Tsar, thus starting the dynasty that would remain at the head of Russia until 1917. The
The Enlightenment laid the foundations of the French Revolution
Contention: The Enlightenment laid the foundations of the French Revolution, but it was the political ambitions and dissatisfactions of the bourgeoisie combined with the violent outbursts of protests from the neglected and downtrodden peasants that truly set the Revolution in motion and allowed for change. It is 1789 and the French peasants are deeply unhappy. Famine plagues them, the tyranny of their oppressive landlords keeps them tied to the land as secondary citizens, and crop production has been poor. The urban poor are suffering from a faltering economy and steadily depreciating wages. The middle class bourgeoisie are in the meanwhile unsatisfied with the current state of taxation and the immense privileges that their noble counterparts enjoy. Events come to head in a violent eruption as grievances are aired with the storming of the Bastille and the more diplomatic yet still volatile Oath of the Tennis Court. The seeds for the Revolution had long before been sown with the ideas of the Enlightenment, yet the theories and ideas developed during that period had yet to be put into action for they lacked a driving passion and force behind them. The middle class's frustration over the antiquated class distinctions that dictated society led to diplomatic rebellion, and when a deadlock occurred in the National Assembly, the violent demonstrations favored by the starving and
Along with women's struggle's for liberation, workers struggle's for unions and many anti-imperialist struggle's in the Third World the history of the Russian Revolution has been stolen from us.
October By: Dave Steele Throughout the history of capitalism, a system wrought with exploitation and oppression, one type of threat has constantly reared its dangerous head. A threat bigger than ten thousand armed revolutionaries, the deepest economic crisis and even the most organized working class in the world. This threat, is the threat of a good example. For what would a system that vehemently decries that it is the best and only way we can organize our economy fear more than an example that proves this to be utterly false. An example that not only proves capitalism is not the only way people can organize an economy, but also proves that it is far from the best. The Russian Revolution (a.k.a. October Revolution, Bolshevik Revolution) is such an example. For this very reason it must be discredited, perverted and contorted. It was a 'coup' led by a couple of 'power hungry' Bolsheviks led by Lenin who was later replaced by Stalin, or so the story goes. Along with women's struggle's for liberation, workers struggle's for unions and many anti-imperialist struggle's in the Third World the history of the Russian Revolution has been stolen from us. The ruling class ideologues claim that the Russian Revolution has no relevance to changing the world today.1 That we are living in the 'new economy' of 'crisis free capitalism' and any attempt to change the world is futile
Critically consider the view that reform is the best means of achieving a socialist society.
Critically consider the view that reform is the best means of achieving a socialist society Socialism is a word which conjures up several thoughts and images. From Middle Age ' Diggers' in small farming communities, Russian revolutionaries running riot in the streets of Moscow and Scruffy students proclaiming the inherent evil of Margaret Thatcher. Socialism is also a word difficult to pin down to any rigid definition as Anthony Wright writes, "There is no shortage of available definitions of what socialism is, but there is a shortage of agreed definitions." Classically socialism is about fighting capitalism and the bourgeois. These are the main themes of the struggle taken on by continental Marxists. Writing at the time known as the second international Marxist thinkers believed that capitalism would inevitably collapse in upon itself owing to its internal contradictions. The factory owner would stop milking the workers for every penny and swift social revolution would follow leading to the establishment of a classless society. Marxism focused heavily on economics and for this reason is often referred to as scientific socialism. The first major split in the Marxist movement was prompted by Eduard Bernstein. The crux of Bernstein's argument was that Capitalism would develop the means to support its internal contradictions and that therefore there would be no social revolution
How useful is the concept ofproto-industrialisation in discussing the British industrial revolution?
How useful is the concept of proto-industrialisation in discussing the British industrial revolution? Proto-industrialisation was a concept introduced by Mendels (1968), which he believed was the developmental stage between feudal and capitalist society. Kriedte coined it as 'industrialisation before industrialisation'. Coleman (1983) outlined a number of characteristics that indicated 'proto-industrialisation': During the 15th and 16th centuries, agriculture dictated the great majority of the economic activity and production, namely the majority of worker's worked on farms, often on a subsistence basis. However, 'agricultural enclosure' and the use of farm machinery, led to the emergence of a number of landless unemployed or under-employed peasants. This peasantry or 'rural sub-stratum of the population' often turned to handicraft, to gain, or supplement an income to survive. Coleman noted that this production was on a regional level, and products were sold to markets outside this region. This was crucial in that it created markets, on a domestic and international basis. Overall, this created a 'village symbiosis', namely agriculture and this 'cottage industry' living and functioning together. This 'proto-industrialisation' referred to rural peasants turning to industrial production, such as 'textiles', 'straw-plaiting' and 'glass making'1, and creating domestic and
