Revolution

A revolution is a drastic change that usually occurs relatively quickly. This may be a change in the social or political institutions over a relatively short period of time, or a major change in its culture or economy. Some revolutions are led by the majority of the populace of a nation, others by a small band of revolutionaries. Compare rebellion.

Etymology

The word derives from Late Latin revolutio "a revolving," from Latin revolvere "turn, roll back". It entered English, from Old French révolution, in 1390, originally only apllied to celestial bodies. Only c. 1450 it was generalid as any "instance of great change in affairs"; the presently domnant political meaning is first recorded 1600, again following French, and was especially applied to the expulsion of the Stuart king James II of England in 1688 and transfer of sovereignty to William and Mary. Revolutionary as a noun is first attested 1850, from the adjective.

Social and political revolutions

Political revolutions are often characterized by violence, and vast changes in power structures that can often result in further institutionalized violence, as in the Russian and French revolutions (with the "Purges" and "the Terror", respectively). A political revolution is the forcible replacement of one set of rulers with another (as happened in France and Russia), while a social revolution is the fundamental change in the social structure of a society, such as the Protestant Reformation or the Renaissance. However, blurring the line between these two categories, most political revolutions wish to carry out social revolutions, and they have basic philosophical or social underpinnings which drive them. The most common revolutions with such underpinnings in the modern world have been liberal revolutions and communist revolutions, with the occasional nationalist revolution. In contrast, a coup d'état often seeks to change nothing more than the current ruler.

Some political philosophers regard revolutions as the means of achieving their goals. Most anarchists advocate social revolution as the means of breaking down the structures of government and replacing them with non-hierarchal institutions.

Among Marxist communists, there is a split between those who supported the Soviet Union and other so-called 'communist states' and those who were/are critical of those states (some even rejecting them as non-communist, see state capitalism), for example Trotskyists and Orthodox Marxists.

Social and political revolutions are often "institutionalized" when the ideas, slogans, and personalities of the revolution continue to play a prominent role in a country's political culture, long after the revolution's end. As mentioned, communist nations regularly institutionalize their revolutions to legitimise the actions of their governments. Some non-communist nations, like the United States, France or Mexico also have institutionalized revolutions, and continue to celebrate the memory of their revolutionary past through holidays, artwork, songs, and other venues.

Cultural, intellectual and philosophical revolutions

Technological revolutions

These usually lead to transformations in society, culture and philosophy.

Sources and external links

EtymologyOnLine
libcom.org libcom.org History section, containing histories of revolutionary movements throughout the world.
United 4 Belarus Campaign, a British website drawing attention to the political crisis in Belarus, where a popular revolution is suspected after the 2006 presidential elections.

Revolutions

Gourt Home::Gourt :: Revolution

Etymology

Social and political revolutions

Cultural, intellectual and philosophical revolutions

Technological revolutions

See also

Sources and external links