Revolution
- This article is about revolution in the sense of a drastic change. For other meanings of the word, see revolution (disambiguation).
A
revolution is a relatively sudden and absolutely drastic change. This may be a change in the
social or
political institutions over a relatively short period of time, or a major change in its
culture or
economy. Some revolutions are led by the majority of the populace of a nation, others by a small band of
revolutionaries. Compare
rebellion.
Social and political revolutions
Political revolutions are often characterised by violence, and the vast changes in power structures that result can often result in further, institutionalised, violence, as in the Russian and French revolutions (with the "Purges" and "the Terror", respectively). A political revolution is the forcible replacement of one set of rulers with another (as happened in France and Russia), while a social revolution is the fundamental change in the social structure of a society, such as the Protestant Reformation or the Renaissance. However, blurring the line between these two categories, most political revolutions have basic philosophical or social underpinnings which drive the revolution. The most common of these underpinnings in the modern world have been liberal revolutions and Marxist-Leninist revolutions. In contrast, a coup d'etat often seeks to change nothing more than the current ruler.
Some political philosophers regard revolutions as the means of achieving their goals. Most anarchists advocate social revolution as the means of breaking down the structures of government and replacing them with nonhierarchal institutions, while Marxist communists take revolution to be one strategy, possibly accompanied by the use of electoral politics to take over, rather than overthrow, the institution of government, their aim being to create a communist society.
Social and political revolutions are often "institutionalized" when the ideas, slogans, and personalities of the revolution continue to play a prominent role in a country's political culture, long after the revolution's end. As mentioned, Communist nations regularly institutionalize their revolutions to legitimize the actions of their governments. Some non-communist nations, like the United States, France, or Mexico also have institutionalized revolutions, and continue to celebrate the memory of their revolutionary past through holidays, artwork, songs, and other venues.
Liberal revolutions
Socialist revolutions
\n* Spanish Revolution -- (1936) -- Social upheaval that swept Spain in response to the anti-Republican insurgency of General Francisco Franco. (heavily influenced by anarchism)\n* Spartacist Uprising-- (1919)) -- Failed revolution in Germany led by Rosa Luxemburg and Karl Liebknecht
Anti-Soviet revolutions
\n* Hungarian Revolution -- (1956) Workers' and peasants' revolution against the imposed Stalinist dictatorship, suppressed by Soviet forces.\n* Velvet Revolution -- (1989) Bloodless overthrow of communism in Czechoslovakia.\n* Singing Revolution -- (1988) Bloodless overthrow of communism in Estonia.
Marxist-Leninist revolutions
\n* Russian Revolution -- (1917) -- The most famous and influential modern revolution, culminating in the Bolshevik seizure of power and the establishment of the USSR.\n* Mongolia - 1920\n* North Korea - 1948\n* Hungary - 1919, 1944 and 1949\n* Chinese Revolution -- (1949) -- Victory of Communist-led peasant rebellion under Chairman Mao over Nationalist forces, establishment of People's Republic of China.\n* Cultural Revolution -- (1966-1976) Maoist led turmoil in People's Republic of China. \n* North Vietnam - 1954\n* Iraq - 1958\n* Cuban Revolution -- (1959) -- Peasant-led rebellion against US-backed dictator Fulgencio Batista, victory of revolutionary government of Fidel Castro.\n* The Congo - 1964 and 1968\n* South Yemen - 1967\n* Libya - 1969\n* Somalia - 1969\n* Benin - 1972\n* Ethiopia - 1974\n* Guinea-Bissauan Revolution - 1974 \n* Cambodia - 1975\n* South Vietnam - 1975\n* Laos - 1975\n* Madagascar - 1975\n* Cape Verde - 1975\n* Mozambique - 1975\n* Angola - 1975\n* Afghanistan - 1978\n* Grenada - 1979\n* Nicaragua - 1979\n* Burkina Faso - 1983\n* Venezuela - 1998 ("Bolivarian Revolution")
Islamic revolutions
\n* Iranian Revolution -- (1979) -- Popular overthrow of US-backed Shah, culminating in an Islamist cleric-led theocracy.\n* Taliban - (1996) -- Islamist movement in Afghanistan
Cultural, intellectual, and philosophical revolutions
\n*Renaissance\n*Protestant Reformation\n*Scientific revolution\n*Sexual revolution\n*Quiet Revolution\n*Consciousness Revolution
Technical revolutions
\n(although these revolutions always have an influence on culture)\n*Agricultural Revolution\n*Digital revolution\n*Neolithic Revolution\n*Price revolution\n*Industrial Revolution\n*Second Industrial Revolution
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