The French Revolution

The French Revolution, which lasted from 1789 to 1799, provides a classic example of how a society united to overthrow a tyrant. During this short time period, a bloody revolt by the peasant population toppled the royalty and aristocrats from power and initiated a short period in which the political system was drastically reformed. New political ideas and philosophies were introduced, many of which are still used in the modern-day political establishment. The storming of the Bastille by an angry mob of peasants began a chain of events that triggered the beginning of a whole new phase in French history. The aristocrats lost much of their power and influence, while the commoners began to have more of a say in the affairs of the nation. This illustrates how, as John Milton, Immanuel Kant, Hegal, and various other philosophers reasoned, society can actually gain and advance as a result of revolution. …