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Revolution: A Sociological Interpretation

ISBN: 978-0-745-60313-1

September 1990

Polity

264 pages

Description
The concept and reality of revolution has gripped the imagination of many writers over the centuries. This is a comprehensive historical examination of these key ideas and theories.

Kimmel looks at the writings of Marx, Weber, Tocqueville, Freud, and Durkheim, asking how their theories were affected by the reality of living through the revolutions of 1848 and 1917. Kimmel then examines the interpretations of revolution offered by social scientists in the post World War II period, including Theda Skocpol, Barrington Moore and Charles Tilly, among others. The work is brought fully up-to-date with current analyses of the Nicaraguan, Iranian and Angolan revolutions.

About the Author
Michael S. Kimmel is the author of several previous works including Absolutism and its Discontents: State and Society in 17th Century France and England (Transaction, 1987)
Features
* This book provides a systematic and comprehensive examination of the interpretations of revolutions offered by social scientists. * Kimmel examines the classical perspectives on revolution offered both by 19th century theorists such as Marx, Weber, Durkheim, Tocqueville and Freud, and by social scientists in the post World War II period including Barrington-Moore, Skocpol, Wallerstein, Tilly. * The book is well-written, very accessible and illustrated with historical examples throughout. An ideal textbook for undergraduates.