Theories of Revolution Midterm Exam
Questions and Answers
natural course of revolution (Huntington) - ANS-1. intellectuals/elites cease to support
regime and criticize it
2. regime tries to make reforms
3. regime unable to meet economic, military, and political problem
4. political crisis and fall of regime
5. internal conflicts within revolutionaries cause factions to emerge 6. competition
for control between conservatives, radicals, and moderates 7. moderates first but
inherit same problems of regime (only successful if dissociate from old regime
totally)
8. radicals take over and state terror results
9. radicals and moderates still compete, resulting in military takeover
10. radical phase moves to more moderate and practical
Davies and Gurr - ANS-psychological approach: revolutionary ideas fueled by hope for
better life
Smelser and Johnson - ANS-social institutions: imbalance in subsystems of society
leads to discontent
theories of political violence - ANS-Davies and Gurr, Smelser and Johnson, Huntington,
Tilly
parlements - ANS-French Revolution; independent judicial bodies that could block and
challenge the directives of the monarchy; controlled by nobles/elites
urban uprisings vs. peasant revolts - ANS-relational factors less important
degree of workers' grievances matter and physical factors
classical approaches - ANS-Marx and Engels, de Tocqueville, Weber
Marx - ANS-European history as progression through various modes of production,
each better than the previous and brought about by revolution
History of class struggles
Questions and Answers
natural course of revolution (Huntington) - ANS-1. intellectuals/elites cease to support
regime and criticize it
2. regime tries to make reforms
3. regime unable to meet economic, military, and political problem
4. political crisis and fall of regime
5. internal conflicts within revolutionaries cause factions to emerge 6. competition
for control between conservatives, radicals, and moderates 7. moderates first but
inherit same problems of regime (only successful if dissociate from old regime
totally)
8. radicals take over and state terror results
9. radicals and moderates still compete, resulting in military takeover
10. radical phase moves to more moderate and practical
Davies and Gurr - ANS-psychological approach: revolutionary ideas fueled by hope for
better life
Smelser and Johnson - ANS-social institutions: imbalance in subsystems of society
leads to discontent
theories of political violence - ANS-Davies and Gurr, Smelser and Johnson, Huntington,
Tilly
parlements - ANS-French Revolution; independent judicial bodies that could block and
challenge the directives of the monarchy; controlled by nobles/elites
urban uprisings vs. peasant revolts - ANS-relational factors less important
degree of workers' grievances matter and physical factors
classical approaches - ANS-Marx and Engels, de Tocqueville, Weber
Marx - ANS-European history as progression through various modes of production,
each better than the previous and brought about by revolution
History of class struggles
