Intro
In this penultimate formal appendix episode of the Revolutions Podcast, the host reflects on the incredible honor of producing the show and its impact on listeners. The episode explores the concept of multiple acceptable endpoints in historical revolutions and the transition from revolutionary periods to stable regimes.
Main Takeaways
Revolutionary Endpoints
- Historical revolutions often have multiple acceptable endpoints.
- The French Revolution can be said to have ended in 1794, 1799, 1804, or 1815.
- The Revolutionary period in Britain and Ireland runs from 1639-1660.
- The American Revolution ended in 1789 with the implementation of the Constitution.
- The force around the permanence of the Constitution means that it must end the revolutionary period.
Duration of Revolutions
- The Haitian Revolution lasted until the Declaration of Independence on New Year’s Day 1804, with stable post-independence political regimes organized by local leaders like Henri Christophe and Desilene.
- The Spanish-American independence era can be marked from the abdication of Bayon in 1808 to the recognition of former South American colonies’ independence by Spain in the mid to late 1820s, lasting for about 10-25 years.
- The French Revolution of 1830 was over in a matter of days, while the revolutions of 1848 lasted for about 18 months total.
- The revolutions of 1848 resulted in the reestablishment of various dynasties on neo-absolutist terms in Austria, Hungary, and the various states of Germany, and a brief pause in the wars between the Kingdom of Piedmont Sardinia and Austria for control of Italy.
- The revolutionary events surrounding the fall of the Second French Empire and the birth of the Third French Republic mostly ended up in the late 1849.
Revolutionary Regimes and Structures
- The Revolutions of 1848 lasted for about 18 months from late 1847 to early 1849.
- The French Third Republic was the first sovereign regime to last more than 18 years since the fall of the Bastille in 1789.
- The Mexican Revolution lasted from the election of 1910 to the election of 1920, a decade of winds sweeping Mexico.
- The Russian Revolution of 1905 started in 1904 and ended with the re-entrenchment of the imperial dynasty on neo-absolutist terms, but the revolution ran at a minimum through the end of the Civil War.
- The Communist regime in the USSR moved out of the revolutionary phase after the Civil War, a phase that lasted five, six, or seven years depending on how you want to do the math.
Political and Social Transformations
- A political revolution displaces existing political power and replaces it with something different.
- The British and Irish revolutionary upheavals were part of a negotiation process and resulted in a constitutional and parliamentary monarchy.
- The American Revolution resulted in the establishment of a republic and a new justification for sovereignty.
- The French Revolution led to the restoration of the Bourbon monarchy with basic individual rights and guarantees for elected assemblies.
- All of these revolutions produced parliamentary structures as a vital component for stable equilibrium.
Societal Changes and Impacts
- Only some revolutions are also social revolutions that rapidly transform economic and cultural hierarchies.
- The Bolshevik Party undertook a massive reorganization of huge parts of the Russian economy with dramatic results.
- Mass confiscation of land by revolutionary and post-revolutionary authorities is common in social revolutions, particularly the largest of the state’s most conservative defenders of the ASEAN regime, and inevitably the Church.
- Social revolutions cause changes in psychology and mentalities.
- Revolutions can lead to a population feeling a sense of self-respect and insolent egalitarianism.
Assessing Revolution’s Costs and Necessity
- The cost of a revolution, including deaths, injury, trauma, dislocation, and destruction, must be weighed against its benefits.
- It is difficult to determine if a revolution was necessary to achieve its final outcome, and whether better leadership could have avoided it.
- The Haitian revolution was unlikely to happen without a violent upheaval due to the unwillingness of major merchants and landowners to abolish slavery and give control to the Black population.
- Other imperial powers abolished slavery and gained independence without a revolution, but it is unclear if they would have made the same choices without the experience of the Haitian Revolution.
- Violent revolution is not the only way that societies have progressed and transformed.
Summary
Revolutionary Endpoints and Duration
Revolutions throughout history have had multiple acceptable endpoints, such as the French Revolution ending in various years. The duration of revolutions varies, with some lasting for years, like the Spanish-American independence era, while others, like the French Revolution of 1830, were over in a matter of days. The revolutions of 1848 resulted in the reestablishment of various dynasties and a brief pause in wars for control of Italy.
Revolutionary Regimes and Structures
Revolutionary periods can lead to the establishment of new regimes and structures. The French Third Republic, for example, lasted for more than 18 years and persisted through World War One. The Mexican Revolution brought significant changes to Mexico over a decade, and the Communist regime in the USSR moved out of the revolutionary phase after the Civil War.
Political and Social Transformations
Revolutionary movements often result in political and social transformations. The British and Irish revolutionary upheavals led to a constitutional and parliamentary monarchy, while the American Revolution established a republic with a new justification for sovereignty. The French Revolution restored the Bourbon monarchy with individual rights and elected assemblies.
Societal Changes and Impacts
Some revolutions also bring about rapid societal changes. The Bolshevik Party’s reorganization of the Russian economy had dramatic results, and mass confiscation of land is common in social revolutions. Revolutions can also impact psychology and mentalities, leading to a sense of self-respect and egalitarianism.
Assessing Revolution’s Costs and Necessity
Revolutionary movements come with costs that need to be weighed against their benefits. It is challenging to determine if a revolution was necessary or if better leadership could have avoided it. The Haitian Revolution, for example, was unlikely to happen without violence due to resistance from major merchants and landowners. However, violent revolution is not the only path to societal progress and transformation.
Conclusion
The Revolutions Podcast has provided a deep exploration of historical revolutions and their impacts. As the podcast concludes next week, it leaves listeners with a fond and bittersweet adieu, reflecting on the complex nature of revolutions and their lasting effects on societies.
