Reinterpreting the French Revolution - A Global-Historical Perspective

This book provides a synthesis of the most recent scholarly literature on the diplomatic, political, social, economic, and cultural history of eighteenth-century and revolutionary France. On the basis of that synthesis, and current theoretical writing on major modern revolutions, the book argues that the outbreak of the French Revolution, and the dramatic developments of the subsequent ten years, were attributable to the interacting pressures of international and domestic politics on those national leaders attempting to govern France and to modernize its institutions. The book furthermore contends that the Revolution of 1789-1799, reconceptualized in this fashion, needs to be placed in the larger contexts of 'early modern' and 'modern' French history and modern 'progressive' sociopolitical revolutions. In staking out these positions, the book offers a unique interpretation of the French Revolution, one that dissents from both the Marxian socioeconomic orthodoxy of earlier times and more recent 'political-cultural' analyses.

List of contents

Introduction; 1. The Ancien Regime: Challenges Not Met, A Dilemma Not Overcome; 2. The descent into revolution: from August 1788 to October 1789; 3. The first attempt to stabilize the revolution: from 1789-1791; 4. The 'revolutionizing' of the revolution: from 1791-1794; 5. The second attempt to stabilize the revolution: from 1794-1799; Conclusion: the revolution in the French and global context; Suggestions for further reading.

Summary

Stone draws on the latest scholarship on diplomatic, political, social, economic, and cultural history of eighteenth-century and revolutionary France to attribute the outbreak of the French Revolution and later developments to pressures of international and domestic politics on those national leaders attempting to govern France and to modernize its institutions.

Product details

• Authors: Bailey Stone
• Publisher: Cambridge Academic
• Languages: English
• Product format: Hardback
• Released: 04.11.2002
• EAN: 9780521811477
• ISBN: 978-0-521-81147-7
• Dimensions: 152 mm x 229 mm x 21 mm
• Weight: 610 g
• Illustrations: Worked examples or Exercises
• Subjects: Humanities, art, music > History; Modern history to 20th century: c 1700 to c 1900, European History, HISTORY / Europe / General, POLITICAL SCIENCE / Political Ideologies / General, HISTORY / Historiography, 19th century, c 1800 to c 1899, 18th century, c 1700 to c 1799, Historiography, Revolutions, uprisings, rebellions, Revolutionary groups & movements, Revolutionary groups and movements, HISTORY / Revolutions, Uprisings & Rebellions