Concept
Revolution
Overview
fundamental change in power or organizational structures that takes place in a relatively short period of time
Overview adapted from Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0; see the article history for authors).
In the original texts
Passages from public-domain books where Revolution is discussed.
All the same, the revolution is thoroughgoing. It still is on its passage through purgatory. It does its work methodically. Down to December 2, 1851, it had fulfilled one-half of its programme, it now fulfils the other half.
Karl Marx, The Eighteenth Brumaire of Louis Bonaparte
states what it is; names the idea; author linked in the graph; opens on it
A revolution is an open contest of social forces in their struggle for political power. The state is not an end in itself. It is only a working machine in the hands of the social force in power. As every machine, the state has its motor, transmission, and its operator.
Leon Trotsky, Our Revolution
a chapter is titled for it; states what it is; the book is about it; opens on it; names the idea
These gentlemen of the Old Jewry, in all their reasonings on the Revolution of 1688, have a revolution which happened in England about forty years before, and the late French Revolution, so much before their eyes and in their hearts, that they are constantly confounding all the three together. It is necessary that we should separate what they confound. We must recall their erring fancies to the _acts_ of the…
Edmund Burke, The Works of the Right Honourable Edmund Burke, Vol. 03
names the idea; a chapter is titled for it; states what it is; opens on it
Since the revolution of October, 1917, the Soviet Government has been at war with almost all the world, and has had at the same time to face civil war at home. This is not to be regarded as accidental, or as a misfortune which could not be foreseen. According to Marxian theory, what has happened was bound to happen.
Bertrand Russell, The Practice and Theory of Bolshevism
names the idea; a chapter is titled for it; opens on it
But it is the fate of all revolutions that this union of different classes, which in some degree is always the necessary condition of any revolution, cannot subsist long. No sooner is the victory gained against the common enemy than the victors become divided among themselves into different camps, and turn their weapons against each other.
Friedrich Engels, Revolution and Counter-Revolution
names the idea; the book is about it; opens on it
Philosophers who discussed Revolution
- Max Stirner
- Karl Marx
- Maurice Merleau-Ponty
- Will Durant
- Cornelius Castoriadis
- Pierre-Joseph Proudhon
- Étienne Balibar
- Bruno Bauer
- The Age of Reason
- Camillo Berneri
Related ideas
- Egalitarianism
- Revolutions of 1848
- Samuel P. Huntington
- French language
- History
- Vladimir Lenin
- Fascism
- French Revolution
- Glorious Revolution
- Human rights
- Iran
- Industrial Revolution
- Indian independence movement
- Alexis de Tocqueville
- Love
- Sociology
- Argentina
- Marxism
- Liberalism
- Mao Zedong
- American Revolution
- Spanish American wars of independence
- Nazi Germany
- Nationalism
Opposing perspectives
Place in the tradition
Part of Communism.