Blue and Red Gradient

THE AGE OF DEMOCRATIC REVOLUTIONS

ENGLAND: 1640

AMERICA 1776

FRANCE 1789

LATIN AMERICA 1808

WHAT IS A REVOLUTION?

AN UPRISING AGAINST A GOVERNMENT OR RULER

AN EVENT THAT LEADS TO A FAR REACHING CHANGE IN HOW PEOPLE LIVE OR WORK

AN EXTREMELY VIOLENT REBELLION

Five A's Necessary for a Revolutionary Recipe

1. At least two opposing sides

2. Access to weapons

3. Aims expressed in a slogan

4. Accomplished leaders

5. Ailments present socially, economically, and politically

In order for a revolution to succeed

The aims of the Revolution need to be defined and propagandized. (Liberty, equality, No taxation without representation, etc..) Slogan

The leaders must have a social and educational background that allows them to hold the subsequent government together.

They must be able to produce a framework and a coalition for a new government.

The degree of the opposition can't be too great, or to strong, or the revolution will continue.(and too many of the systems will be destroyed beyond repair or replacement)

The problems present for the revolution to occur must be resolved.

Example of Problems

1. lack of rights

2. unequal distribution of wealth

3. lack of freedom

4. heavy taxes

5. unfair treatment

The Stages of a Revolution

Incubation Stage

Moderate Stage

Crisis or Radical Stage

Recovery Stage

Incubation Stage

A. Intellectuals desert the existing system. Sharp criticism of the authorities occurs and faith in the system is lost. Growing incompetence of the ruling classes.

B. At least one class is on the rise economically. It begins to demand participation in government and careers open to talent. Upper classes lock them out and the ranks of aristocracy close. Class distinctions become more hardened.

C. Government experiences serious fiscal and financial problems.

A BIG Symbolic Event

EnglandKing rejects reforms

America Lexington and Concord

FranceThe storming of the Bastille

Moderate Stage

A. Moderates rise to prominence and challenge the existing authority.

B. As authority is challenged, some acts of violence occur

C. Government fails to use force effectively.

D. Moderates win the day and get power. Honeymoon period where the revolution seems to be over.

E. Pressure from extremists grows.

F. Moderates are overthrown

Crisis or Radical Stage

A. Reign of terror and virtue/mass executions

B. Regicide

C. Use of secret police

D. Foreign threat to revolution

E. Extreme nationalism

F. Suppression of pleasure/demand for sacrifice

G. Religious faith in man's ability to create an earthly paradise.

H. Class Struggle

I. Economic Crisis

Recovery Stage

A. Things revert back to normal (reign of terror over)

B. Government resorts to pre-revolution form of government

C. Peace is made with neighboring countries.

Quote From JFK

"Those who make peaceful revolution impossible will make violent revolution inevitable"

Quote from Emile Zola
French author and newspaper writer
1840-1902

"When the truth is buried underground it grows, it chokes, it gathers such an explosive force that on the day it bursts out, it blows up everything"

Jeanne Manon Roland
executed
by the guillotine
1754-1793

"O liberty! O liberty! What crimes are committed in thy name"

The Enlightenment

1. believing that every natural phenomenon had a cause and effect

2. a belief that truth is arrived at by reason

3. believing that natural law governed the universe

4. progress would always take place

Handout on Enlightenment Thinkers

Are You a Liberal or Conservative?

Stability rather than change and adaptability indicates the success of a societyTradition is the best guidelineSelf Interest leads to conflictThe needs of the group are more important than the individualHappiness can never be measured in terms of what one has

Are You a Liberal or Conservative?

Governments should protect the rights of individuals above the rights of the state (meaning the nation not states rights)Economic inequality exists only because people have more opportunities than others before the lawIndividual choice is more important than stabilityThe best defense against governmental intervention is a good written framework

Are You a Liberal or Conservative?

The best person to govern is the one who is best educated and comes from a background of leadershipIf a social situation needs to be corrected, like racism or homelessness, then it is the role of the government to provide programs that help to eliminate these problems. People need taken care of

What if you are neither a Conservative nor a Liberal?

City A has been a city for over a hundred years. City B has many different types of projects developing at any point in time. City B has had several different names since it has been a city. It has been many different types of cities during its existence. City A is better than City B.

A family who has lived in an area and has had several family members in leadership roles is the best authority when looking for new leaders

Student A has many more opportunities and wealth than Student B. Student A is happier

If we need to have a rule about lunch times it is more important to take into consideration each individual student and not just what is good for the school

The more programs that are available to the individual from the government the better the society

Each student should be allowed to decide which elective period they want to have even though this would cause a lot of work for the administration

LIBERALISM (of the 1700's-1800's)

1. Individuals are entitled to seek their freedom in the face of arbitrary or tyrannical restrictions imposed upon them.2. Humans have certain natural rights and the role of government is to protect them. These rights include the right to OWN PROPERTY, FREEDOM OF SPEECH, FREEDOM FROM EXCESSIVE PUNISHMENT, FREEDOM OF WORSHIP, AND FREEDOM OF ASSEMBLY. These rights cannot be taken away by government because the government did not give them to the people, the people were born with these rights.

3. These rights are best guaranteed by a written constitution with careful definition of the limits to which governmental actions may go.4. Free enterprise is the most productive economy and the one that allowed for the greatest measure of individual choice.5. ECONOMIC INEQUALITY will exist and is acceptable because is does not detract from the individuals moral dignity, nor does it conflict with EQUALITY OF OPPORTUNITY and EQUALITY BEFORE THE LAW.

Conservativism of 1700 & 1800s

1. History is a continuous line that no single generation has the right to or can cancel.2. Society is not a machine with replaceable parts. Stability and longevity instead of change indicate the success of a society.3. The only legitimate sources of political authority were god and history. The Social Contract Theory was rejected because a contract cannot make authority legitimate.

4. Community is essential to life. Self-interest does not lead to social harmony but to social conflict.5. Measuring happiness and progress in material terms ignored humans as spiritual begins.6. Rejected the idea of natural rights, and believed that rights did not belong to people every where but only during certain times.7. Humans who had education, intelligence wealth and certain birth rights were better able to rule.