Causes of Revolutions

Common Causes of Revolutions

A Study of Crane Brinton’s Theory

Brinton’s Theory

Historian Crane Brinton, after studying many different revolutions, came up with a theory on how revolutions have similar conditions in place prior to the revolution occurring.

He also examined the course revolutions take and came up with a series of steps that most revolutions follow.

Brinton’s TheoryBrinton concluded that countries that

encounter revolution have similar conditions in place before revolt occurs

The revolutionary “fever” begins with certain “symptoms”

Lets look at the “symptoms” or factors/conditions that Crane Brinton believes countries on the cusp of revolution exhibit.

Brinton’s Theory-Common Factors/Conditionsof Revolutions

1. People from all social classes are discontented

2. People feel restless and held down by unacceptable restrictions in society, religion, the economy or the government

3. The scholars and thinkers give up on the way their society operates

4. The government does not respond to the needs of its society

5. The government is unable to get enough support from any group to save itself

6. The government cannot organize its finances correctly and is either going bankrupt and/or trying to tax heavily and unjustly

The French Revolution is a good case study of Crane Brinton’s theory. Let’s take in in-depth look at France before the Revolution.

While you learn about France prior to Revolution, try to identify Brinton’s common factors/conditions. Ask yourself, does pre-revolutionary France contain all six conditions? Which ones are not present?

After you view the case study on the French Revolution, you will be asked to identify the factors/conditions present, and those that are not.

The following chart can be a great note taking format while you read about the French Revolution

Anatomy of a Revolution Case Study: The French Revolution

Factors/Conditions Example 1 Example 2

People from all social classes are discontented

People feel restless and held down by unacceptable restrictions in society, religion, the economy or the government

The scholars and thinkers give up on the way their society operates

The government does not respond to the needs of its society

The government is unable to get enough support from any group to save itself

The government cannot organize its finances correctly and is either going bankrupt or trying to tax heavily and unjustly

By the late eighteenth century, France was on the brink of revolution. The reasons had been building up over many years, and mainly concerned the great divide between the nobility and the clergy, and everybody else. Many scholars and thinkers from the Enlightenment had given up on French society. The French population was divided into three estates. This division perpetuated the looming revolution.

Case Study: French Revolution

The Three Estates

THE FIRST AND SECOND ESTATE- Nobility and Clergy

– Nobles had almost complete authority over peasants.– Nobles did not have to do military service.– Nobles were exempt from most taxes.– Nobles collected tolls from people using roads and

markets.– Many nobles and clergy lived in great luxury in

chateaux and palaces.

THE THIRD ESTATE- Peasants

- Peasants were forced to do military service.- Peasants could not hunt or fish on nobles’ estates.- Peasants had to pay taxes to their lord, the king and the Church- Peasants had to use the lord’s mill, oven, and winepress and pay for them.- Peasants made up 90% of the population.

The Kings, through their ministers and local officials RULED ABSOLUTELY.

-This meant that they had complete authority over France. -The ‘parliament’ (Estates General) had not been called since 1614!

As if the system of estates in France wasn’t enough to cause resentment among the lower classes, towards the end of the

1700s, France was experiencing other problems too. Problem 1 – MONEY

By 1787, the French government was bankrupt. It was 4000 million lives in debt. France had spent a lot of money fighting costly wars, but had nothing to show for it.

Many people accused the royals, especially Queen Marie-Antoinette of spending too much money on luxuries. Others said that the tax system was corrupt and some tax-collectors did not hand all their taxes over to the government.

In 1787 the King asked the nobility to help him reform the tax system. As we already know, members of the first and second estate did not have to pay taxes.

King Louis XVI wanted them to start paying some of them. It is not surprising that they refused to do so.

Problem 2 – Bad harvest

Most people in France depended heavily on agriculture and farming in the 1700s. In the years 1787 – 1789, terrible weather, heavy rain, hard winters and extremely hot summers led to three very bad harvests in France.

This led to peasants and farmers having smaller incomes, while food prices rose sharply. The poor harvests also meant that many French farmers became unemployed. Many poorer people were starving, but could not afford food and could not find a job.

Meanwhile, the nobility, the clergy and King Louis and his family continued to live in the lap of luxury in their palaces and chateaux.

Problem 3 – Louis calls the Estates General. May – June 1789

In August 1788, King Louis XVI called the Estates General (a gathering of representatives from all three estates) for the first time since 1614.

There were 1100 members, or deputies, divided into three orders.nobles, clergy, and the third estate (which represented millions of ordinary French people) only contained half the deputiesThe king hoped the Estates General would approve new taxes. The nobles and the clergy hoped they would control the affairs to continue their privileged lifestyles. The middle classes hoped for an English style democracy. The peasants hoped for solutions to their problems and were asked by their representatives to draw up lists of complaints

The King summoned the Estates General to Versailles, where he had a body of troops. Some saw this as an attempt to frighten the representatives. He did not present them with any proposals for discussion, so they were left to think up their own ideas. Louis did not have control of the meeting.

Problem 4 – The National Assembly, June 1789

The deputies of the third estate, having grown tired of the arguments over how each order should vote, declared themselves a ‘national assembly’. They represented 96% of the population and felt that they were the ‘true’ parliament.

They wanted to draw up a constitution showing how France was to be governed

On June 20th, the members of this assembly met at the royal tennis court. They pledged

an oath (The Tennis Court Oath) not to leave until the King agreed to meet their

demands.

He gave way and deputies of the first and second estates became part of the National

Assembly.

Test Your Knowledge

Using the chart showing Brinton’s common factors/conditions, You will identify if each

factor/condition was present in France before the revolution.

Click in the “YES” column next to the conditions you think apply to the French Revolution.

Click in the “NO” column for conditions/factors you do not think apply to the French Revolution.




Factors/Conditions Leading to the French Revolution

YES-I found examples

NO- I did not find examples

People from all social classes are discontentedPeople feel restless and held down by unacceptable restrictions in society, religion, the economy or the governmentThe scholars and thinkers give up on the way their society operates











































CORRECT!People from all social classes are discontented

The First Estate: The Clergy

The Second Estate: The Nobility

-Louis XVI wants them to start paying taxes, which they have never done before

The Third Estate: 90% of the population

-Taxed heavily by the church, lords, and King

-Forced to do military service

-Lived life of poverty while nobility and clergy lived lives of luxury

People feel restless and held down by unacceptable restrictions in society, religion,

the economy or the government

– Political corruption at local and national levels• Harsh and restrictive laws• Nobility held key positions in government• Offices could be bought and sold

– Abuse of system by clergy• Church owned 10% of French land• Charged exorbitant rents and fees for land use• Carte blanche – blank papers that were automatic

authorization to do what they wanted

Scholars and Enlightenment Thinkers

LockeRousseau

Montesquieu


– Did not respond to needs of peasants• Most in poverty, yet still taxed heavily• Years of bad harvests lead to higher food prices,

yet monarchs host parties and build palaces

– Did not respond to Estates-General• Nobility wants more control• Third Estate wants more representation• Louis XVI locks the Third Estate out


– All Estates unhappy with Louis XVI and his lack of authority

– First and Second Estates mad about taxes and his financial excesses

– Third Estate will not be ignored


The government cannot organize its finances correctly and is either going bankrupt and/or

trying to tax heavily and unjustly

Monarchs spend regardless of financial situation

Endless wars are expensive

Seven Years WarAmerican Revolution

Great Job!

Now let’s look at some other revolutions and see if you can apply Brinton’s theory to them as well!

Your next task will be to read about what historians call the Atlantic Revolutions. They include the Haitian Revolution, the Venezuelan Revolution and the American Revolution.

Atlantic Revolutions

As you read about each of the revolutions, be sure to keep in mind Brinton’s theory about common factors/conditions that lead up to the revolution.

Lets get started!


Your first reading will be on the Haitian Revolution. Click on the icon below to view the reading. Remember Brinton’s theory as you read!

The Haitian Revolution


Next, lets read about the Venezuelan Revolution. Again, remember to look for the common factors/conditions!

The Venezuelan Revolution


The final revolution you will need to read about and identify the common factors/conditions from Brinton's theory is the American Revolution. Click on the icon below!

The American Revolution

SORRY!Are you sure this factor/condition

was not present?

Look over the information again!


Good Job! You’re almost done! Now let’s test what you have learned about Crane Brinton’s theory about common factors/conditions that lead to revolution.

The following table looks at the factors causing revolution as hypothesized by Crane Brinton. Read each factor and then decide whether each country had that factor/condition present prior to its revolution. Click on the appropriate box if you found that common factor/condition in the reading

Factors/Conditions Haitian Revolution Venezuelan Revolution American Revolution






The government cannot organize its finances correctly and is either going bankrupt or trying to tax heavily and unjustly Click Here To Check Your Answers

Factors/Conditions Haitian Revolution Venezuelan Revolution American Revolution







Correct!

This factor/condition was present before revolution.

The Venezuelan Revolution

The American

RevolutionThe Haitian Revolution

SORRY!

This was not a factor/condition that led to revolution.

Click on the appropriate document below to review the reading

What did you learn?

Crane Brinton developed a theory about the common factors/conditions that are present countries on the brink of revolution.

You tested his theory by looking at four different revolutions!

What did you learn?

The common factors/conditions are not present in ALL revolutions, however many of them are common.

The common factors/conditions developed by Crane Brinton are……..

1. People from all social classes are discontented

2. People feel restless and held down by unacceptable restrictions in society, religion, the economy or the government

3. The scholars and thinkers give up on the way their society operates

4. The government does not respond to the needs of its society

5. The government is unable to get enough support from any group to save itself

6. The government cannot organize its finances correctly and is either going bankrupt and/or trying to tax heavily and unjustly

Congratulations!

You have successfully completed this lesson

References:Causes of French Revolution: Adapted from Miss Lavelle atwww.SchoolHistory.co.uk

Haitian, Venezuelan, and American Revolution Readings adapted from: World History for Us All Big Era 7 Panorama Unithttp://worldhistoryforusall.sdsu.edu/

Documents

Causes of Revolutions