From 1789 in France to 2011 in Cairo, revolutions have shaken the
world. In their pursuit of social justice, revolutionaries have
taken on the assembled might of monarchies, empires, and
dictatorships. They have often, though not always, sparked
cataclysmic violence, and have at times won miraculous victories,
though at other times suffered devastating defeat. This Very Short
Introduction illuminates the revolutionaries, their strategies,
their successes and failures, and the ways in which revolutions
continue to dominate world events and the popular imagination.
Starting with the city-states of ancient Greece and Rome, Jack
Goldstone traces the development of revolutions through the
Renaissance and Reformation, the Enlightenment and liberal
constitutional revolutions such as in America, and their
opposite-the communist revolutions of the 20th century. He shows
how revolutions overturned dictators in Nicaragua and Iran and
brought the collapse of communism in the Soviet Union and Eastern
Europe, and examines the new wave of non-violent "colour"
revolutions-the Philippines' Yellow Revolution, Ukraine's Orange
Revolution-and the Arab Uprisings of 2011-12 that rocked the Middle
East. Goldstone also sheds light on the major theories of
revolution, exploring the causes of revolutionary waves, the role
of revolutionary leaders, the strategies and processes of
revolutionary change, and the intersection between revolutions and
shifting patterns of global power. Finally, the author examines the
reasons for diverse revolutionary outcomes, from democracy to civil
war and authoritarian rule, and the likely future of revolution in
years to come. About the Series: Oxford's Very Short Introductions
series offers concise and original introductions to a wide range of
subjects-from Islam to Sociology, Politics to Classics, Literary
Theory to History, and Archaeology to the Bible. Not simply a
textbook of definitions, each volume in this series provides
trenchant and provocative-yet always balanced and
complete-discussions of the central issues in a given discipline or
field. Every Very Short Introduction gives a readable evolution of
the subject in question, demonstrating how the subject has
developed and how it has influenced society. Eventually, the series
will encompass every major academic discipline, offering all
students an accessible and abundant reference library. Whatever the
area of study that one deems important or appealing, whatever the
topic that fascinates the general reader, the Very Short
Introductions series has a handy and affordable guide that will
likely prove indispensable. ABOUT THE SERIES: The Very Short
Introductions series from Oxford University Press contains hundreds
of titles in almost every subject area. These pocket-sized books
are the perfect way to get ahead in a new subject quickly. Our
expert authors combine facts, analysis, perspective, new ideas, and
enthusiasm to make interesting and challenging topics highly
readable.
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