Book Review
The World of the French Revolution, R.R. Palmer, Harper and Row, New York, 1971
Needless to say the history of the French Revolution that began in 1789 and, arguably, has not been completed yet has been looked at from every possible perspective, some of them noteworthy others merely cumulative. In Professor Palmer’s little book I believe we have a noteworthy one although the good professor and I would not share the same reasons for that fact. A careful look, as here, at the influence of the French Revolution on Europeon politics, other national liberation movements of the time and the exigencies of military policy make this a worthy study.
At the end of 2007 we have been through a period when the American Bush Administration policy in the Middle East has seen as one of its aims the ‘export of democracy’; in the terminology of the French Revolution the ‘export of revolution’. I would also note that during the height of the Cold War with the former Soviet Union, particularly in the immediate post World War II period the ‘export of revolution’ in that case, socialist, raised it head. Thus, the central point of Palmer’s book in relationship to the French Revolution today offers some important historical lessons about that phenomenon.
Professor Palmer divides his work into sections dealing with the pre-revolutionary period, the immediate issues of the revolutionary and the significant period of the reign of the Committee of Public Safety in the 1793-94 period. Those parts are fairly common in most studies. What he does additionally is give space to the various external movements influenced by the French example and the policies of the various adversaries of the French. Further he ties the whole period together by giving a fair outline of the Directory period (basically 1794-99) that is overlooked or undervalued in most works and the policies of the various governments toward outside revolutionary movements. This is also the period when the various republics, French created or otherwise, spring into being.
If there is one definitive conclusion that drifts through the Professor’s work it is that it is hard, extremely hard, to successfully export revolution, even world historic revolutions like the French one. For one thing history has shown more than one time disagreements on the question within the ruling strata of the revolutionary state. At various times, depending on internal French politics, there was hostility or indifference to those like, the Polish, who wished to emulate or come under French protection. Palmer gives us the highlights to further search for the relationship between local indigenous forces, the role of French military success on the ground and other governmental considerations that forced the creation of a least six French-like republics in the 1790’s. This book is hardly the last word on the subject of the French ‘export of revolution’ but it certainly is the first word. Read on.
The World of the French Revolution, R.R. Palmer, Harper and Row, New York, 1971
Needless to say the history of the French Revolution that began in 1789 and, arguably, has not been completed yet has been looked at from every possible perspective, some of them noteworthy others merely cumulative. In Professor Palmer’s little book I believe we have a noteworthy one although the good professor and I would not share the same reasons for that fact. A careful look, as here, at the influence of the French Revolution on Europeon politics, other national liberation movements of the time and the exigencies of military policy make this a worthy study.
At the end of 2007 we have been through a period when the American Bush Administration policy in the Middle East has seen as one of its aims the ‘export of democracy’; in the terminology of the French Revolution the ‘export of revolution’. I would also note that during the height of the Cold War with the former Soviet Union, particularly in the immediate post World War II period the ‘export of revolution’ in that case, socialist, raised it head. Thus, the central point of Palmer’s book in relationship to the French Revolution today offers some important historical lessons about that phenomenon.
Professor Palmer divides his work into sections dealing with the pre-revolutionary period, the immediate issues of the revolutionary and the significant period of the reign of the Committee of Public Safety in the 1793-94 period. Those parts are fairly common in most studies. What he does additionally is give space to the various external movements influenced by the French example and the policies of the various adversaries of the French. Further he ties the whole period together by giving a fair outline of the Directory period (basically 1794-99) that is overlooked or undervalued in most works and the policies of the various governments toward outside revolutionary movements. This is also the period when the various republics, French created or otherwise, spring into being.
If there is one definitive conclusion that drifts through the Professor’s work it is that it is hard, extremely hard, to successfully export revolution, even world historic revolutions like the French one. For one thing history has shown more than one time disagreements on the question within the ruling strata of the revolutionary state. At various times, depending on internal French politics, there was hostility or indifference to those like, the Polish, who wished to emulate or come under French protection. Palmer gives us the highlights to further search for the relationship between local indigenous forces, the role of French military success on the ground and other governmental considerations that forced the creation of a least six French-like republics in the 1790’s. This book is hardly the last word on the subject of the French ‘export of revolution’ but it certainly is the first word. Read on.
