The revolutionary movement which began in 1787 disrupted every aspect of French society, rising to a pitch of such extreme violence that the effects are still felt in France today. The Revolution was the product of social tensions that developed throughout France in the second half of the eighteenth century. Norman Hampson analyses the nature of these social conflicts within their political framework. With enough background information to satisfy the general reader with no previous knowledge of the subject, Norman Hampson's book devotes particular attention to provincial France. The result is both a picture of the supreme crisis in French society, and an examination of social attitudes and aspirations whose influence has been universal and enduring.
Contents
Preface
I France on the Eve of the Revolution
II The Victory of the Aristocracy
III The Victory of the 3rd Estate
IV The Failure to Compromise
V The Re-shaping of France, 1789-91
VI The Turning-point
VII The Division of the Republicans
VIII The Precarious Victory of the Sans-culottes
IX The Failure of Both Principle & Expediency
X The Aftermath
Bibliography
Index
The revolutionary movement which began in 1787 disrupted every aspect of French society, rising to a pitch of such extreme violence that the effects are still felt in France today. The Revolution was the product of social tensions that developed throughout France in the second half of the eighteenth century. Norman Hampson analyses the nature of these social conflicts within their political framework. With enough background information to satisfy the general reader with no previous knowledge of the subject, Norman Hampson's book devotes particular attention to provincial France. The result is both a picture of the supreme crisis in French society, and an examination of social attitudes and aspirations whose influence has been universal and enduring.
Contents
Preface
I France on the Eve of the Revolution
II The Victory of the Aristocracy
III The Victory of the 3rd Estate
IV The Failure to Compromise
V The Re-shaping of France, 1789-91
VI The Turning-point
VII The Division of the Republicans
VIII The Precarious Victory of the Sans-culottes
IX The Failure of Both Principle & Expediency
X The Aftermath
Bibliography
Index