Vive Le Revolution!Vive Le Revolution!

What Do You Need to Have a Revolution?

The Five A’s Necessary For A The Five A’s Necessary For A Revolution To OccurRevolution To Occur

At least two opposing sidesAccess to weaponsAims expressed in a sloganAccomplished leadersAilments present socially, economically,

and politically

What goes into a Revolution?What goes into a Revolution?

Conditions (Ailments)

1-Political

2-Social

3-Economic

Aims (Goals or Philosophy)Aims (Goals or Philosophy)

Must be clearly defined or made into a slogan.

Leaders (Accomplished Leaders)

*They need to be convince people to rise up against the current leadership.

*People need a framework for a new government.

*Too much opposition is not good.

Stages of the RevolutionStages of the Revolution1-Incubation Stage

*The intellectuals desert the existing system

*There is sharp criticism of the authorities

*Faith in the system is lost

*The ruling class becomes more incompetent

Stages Cont. Stages Cont.

At least one class is on the rise economically. 

*The class begins to demand participation in government.

*The upper class locks them out, and the ranks of aristocracy close. 

*Class distinctions become more hardened.

Stages Cont. Stages Cont.

Government suffers serious financial and economic problems.

2. Moderate Stage

*Moderates rise to prominence and challenge existing authority.

*As authority is challenged, some acts of violence occur.

*Government fails to use force effectively.* Moderates win the day and get power. Honeymoon

period where the revolution seems to be over.

Moderate stage continuedModerate stage continued

*Pressure from extremists grows.

*Moderates are overthrown.

3.Crisis/Radical Stage3.Crisis/Radical Stage

*Reign of terror and executions

*Use of secret police

*Foreign threat to revolution

*Class struggle

*Economic crisis

4.Recovery Stage4.Recovery Stage

*Things revert back to normal (reign of terror over)

*Government resorts to pre-revolution form of government.

*Peace is made with neighboring countries

The End ResultThe End Result

There are two possibilities at this point…

#1 Stability returns because of reform

#2 Revolution begins again.

For a Revolution to be For a Revolution to be SuccessfulSuccessful

The aims need to be defined and propagandized (Some sort of slogan)

The leaders must have a social and educational background that allows them to hold the government together.

They must be able to produce a framework and a coalition for a new government.

……

The degree of the opposition can’t be too great, or too strong.

The problems present for the revolution to occur must be resolved.