Marxist Theory of Bourgeoisie Revolution

Marxist Theory of Bourgeoisie Revolution

1. Must be able to interpret the F R completely to understand complete social structure

2. Marx + Engels- "B...conquered for itself, in the modern representative state, exclusive political sway"

3. M- T F R was an e.g of Eng R

   • B headed movement

4. non-B + W/C had same interests as B

   • Even when they fought against B they still had same aim

5. Rev was European Rev

   • created a new social order
     • B overthrowing Feudalism

6. Bourgeoisie Revolution

7. Revisionist Against This View

   • M- B at front of R
     • No clear diving line between classes
       • B- land owners + some had seigneurial rights
         • Peasants revolted against taxes
         • 'feudal reaction'
         • Peasants- didn't want capitalism moving into rural areas
           • R B- made up of declining professional workers
   • Revisionists- Furet + Richet- rev did not compromise the Ancien Regime
     • T R did not stay with one aim or course throughout
       • Jacobins had separate aims from B + masses

8. Structure

   • rev that promoted capitalism
     • change in the pow of S
       • B became dominant + capitalism took over
       • B led the way in rev but capitalist class still had strong role
         • proletarian revs create a socialist system
           • B revs help capitalist production increase and become dominant

9. Classical B Rev

   • Internal crises within A.R + R/C caused fall- revisionist
     • Lenin- w/c did not want to live under A.R + R/C could not continue to do so
       • B developed due to their economic prosperity- seigniorial rights + land
         • Mon unstable + so hard to buy nobility
           • some Nobility against others- court nobility disliked
             • Estate G- limits to B advancement + share of pol pow
               • 3rd E dominate
               • clergy- divided
               • nobles- opposed
               • The outvoting of 3.E caused a B Rev- against R/C
                 • they challenged mon + R/C
                 • created National Assembly- June 1789
                   • B in control
                     • B capitalist system then in place- based on property and wealth- not birth right- destroying nobility privileges
                       • had to have Paris on their side- Capture of Bastille 14th July
                         • fear of capitalistm in urban areas + high bread prices=
                           • peasant uprisings
                             • Triggered also by 1788-89 economic crisis
                           • Urban movement- driving force of rev
                             • Soboul- "sans- culotterie did not constitute a class"
                             • Fragile times- rations of food
                               • united artisans in a common interest + wanted price controls
                               • Law of the General Maximum 29th Sept 1793- allowed for food for families
                               • Richet "under Robespierre, blood flowed and there was enough bread...blood no longer flows and there is a shortage...we must spill a little blood before we can get bread"
                     • overthrew feudal system 4th Aug 1789

10. Rich and Poor had increasing tension

    • high food prices
    • harvest failures
    • M see the T rev was caused to do B rise due to the resulting increase in Capitalism
      • B were agents of capitalism
        • B overtook T monarchies pow
          • had land and economic pow
            • mainly due to commerce and industry
              • Cobben- against this as saw majority of 3.E had nothing to do w commerce.- many B not against feudalism as land/property owners
                • many brought titles of nobility
                  • Blanning "with so many B behaving like nobles + so many nobles behaiving like b, it is difficult to find much evidence of class- conflict between T two"
          • B able to dominate due to the Pol pow of mon collapsing
            • ran out of money and nobility + aristocrats turning against them due to taxation
            • Lefebvre saw that Rev began w aristocratic revolt, rather than B - due to reforms
              • nobility got support of B which motivated B to pursue own aims