Defining the Concept of Revolution - 1950 Words

Recent theorists have put forward their definition of a revolution but there does not seem to be a clear concise description. Do protests or demonstrations, the toppling of a president, uprisings and changes in government constitute a revolution? I will explore these different approaches from the theorists and then show which I believe to be a ‘successful revolution’ going back as far as the French Revolution. Revolution refers to a central change in power or governmental structure that takes place over a long period of time depending on the conditions (Stone 1966: 160). Revolutions often develop from social unhappiness in the lower status group of the population and have been taking place through history differing greatly in terms of the conditions and outcomes, the period they last and the ideas and ideologies behind them (Stone 1966:160). However it is difficult to define such a broad concept especially when each revolt has distinctive circumstances that allow people to react in different ways (Stone 1966:161). Huntington’s definition of revolution explains how these occurrences are relatively rare and distinctive events and how over time they transform states and societies (Tilly 1973:430). â€Å"A revolution,† suggests Samuel Huntington, â€Å"is a rapid, fundamental, and violent domestic change in the dominant values and myths of a society, in its political institutions, social structure, leadership, and government activity and policies†(Tilly 1973:430). Revolutions are thusShow MoreRelatedDefining the Concept of Revolution804 Words   |  3 PagesRevolution Revolutions are events that consists of so many different struggles, challenges, bloodshed, complications as well as victory. Revolution refers to a fundamental change in power or governmental structures thats takes place in a comparatively short period of time. Revolutions have been taking place throughout most of human history. Many of these revolutions have its simmilarites and differences. This essay will focus on the Russian Revolution with the help of discussing two theoreticalRead MoreA Social Perspective On Class Society1081 Words   |  5 Pagessociety, the underlying social issues in regards to members of a specific class; the concealed feelings of the lower class in relation to their social standing within society, consequently forms a class consciousness therefore determining a social revolution. Marxism being a conflict theory primarily focuses on class and its meaning within society. Having read historiographies around this topic, it has also compelled me to reflect upon what the theory advocates; why a society that embodies classes willRead MoreThe Declaration Of Rights Of Women And A Public Speech By Frederick Douglass933 Words   |  4 PagesThe French Revolution produced many changes both in France and in Europe as a whole. The most evident change brought by the French Revolution was the move from absolutism to republicanism that represents a shift towards democracy. The Declaration of the Rights of Man and Citizen, which was announced in 1789, was arguably the foundations of the human rights and many constitutions in democratic countries like the Britain and America. The concept is based on the â€Å"natural rights† that were establishedRead MoreThe Enlightenment Era Of 1620 And 1789910 Words   |  4 Pagesbooks, scientific discovery and revolution. The Enlightenment Era directly influenced the French and the American revolutions which respectively led to the peak of its influence and its decline. More importantly, the Enlightenment paved way for what came to be referred to as Romanticism in the 19th century (Wade 155). The 17th century pioneers included the Frenchman Renee Descartes and, Englishmen Thomas Hobbes and Francis Bacon. Nevertheless, the French revolution was greatly influenced by the worksRead MoreComparing Lenin s Manuscript, State And Revolution871 Words   |  4 Pages Lenin’s manuscript, State and Revolution, was written during the first inter-imperialist war and published on the eve of the Russian Revolution. This text can be seen as crucial to the socialist movement and the shift of 20th century Russian ideology. The whole of Lenin’s argument is a manifestation of Marx and Engels theories about the existence of the State and the role of government in society. State and Revolution is a purportedly theoretical reflection of how the State is an inherent tool forRead MoreThe Surrender Of Cornwallis At Yorktown988 Words   |  4 Pagesthe end of t he American Revolution but the start of new ideas and a new nation. The American Revolution opened the doors to ingenuity, new traditions, and freedom. The Revolution had an impact on the world around them and in the United States years after it ended. Kingdom of Matthias by Paul E. Johnson and Sean Wilentz explores the life of Elijah Pierson and Robert Mathews or Matthias. Elijah, Matthias and their clan were affected by the ideas that resulted from the revolution including freedom of religionRead MoreBureaucracy1409 Words   |  6 Pagesused. In the strict bureaucratic organization, the monocratic points raised are as follows: ⠝â€" Strict subordination ⠝â€" File knowledge ⠝â€" Certainty ⠝â€" Reduction of friction, material costs. Weber put forward the ideal concept for bureaucracy. He says that bureaucracy is characterised by the hierarchy of labours which is followed by precise rules and regulations. These rules are applied by business professionals who work part time or fulltime in an organization and whoRead MoreCriminology And The Social Theory Essay1726 Words   |  7 Pagesto look at criminal behaviour in a micro sense as ‘an intricate understanding of crime initiates thorough conceptualisation of people and wider society in relation to crime.’ Due to the nature of criminology as a study, there comes a problem with defining what crime itself is. The ‘father of criminology’ Lombroso was recognised as having a stream of thought known as ‘The Lombrosian Project’. This method of approach highlighted the need to examine characteristics of ‘criminals’ and ‘non-criminals’Read MoreHistorical Analysis of The Industrial Revolution 1006 Words   |  5 Pages The Industrial Revolution was one of the most impactful eras in the history of the world. It changed the way we worked, lived, owned, and generally thought. With advent of economic philosophies like capitalism and communism, the way we worked and lived was written down and itemized, and western civilization was never the same. The concepts of jobs, urbanization, and credit might have allowed the world to progress into a veritable economical ecosystem, defining our modern definition of living, butRead MoreThe Era Of The 19th Cent ury1135 Words   |  5 PagesEurope faced an era of revolutions at the wake of the nineteenth century. Long-standing empires, which had traditionally controlled most of the world –including the Spanish, Chinese, French, and Holy Roman Empires –, collapsed at the beginning of the century, allowing the British Empire to rise to power and establish dominance over a fifth of the Earth’s surface. This political revolution was coupled with the industrial revolution. New manufacturing processes called for large industrial factories