POLC99H3 Lecture Notes - Lecture 3: Revolutionary Struggle
Document Summary
A social revolution is the successful overthrown of a ruling elite by revolutionaries who seek the profound transformation of a society"s political economic and social structures. Coup d" estat: power is transferred either within the ruling elite or from one ruling elite to another but the state, economic and social structures remain the same. E. g. military intervention. (it is different from revolution) Rebellion: spontaneous uprising aimed at changing the leaders, policies or institutions of the state, but rarely affect social structures and values. E. g. anti- neoliberal protests (it is not consider as a revolution) A political revolution: seeks to transform the state but not economic or social structure. First generation revolutions: characterized by the tensions surrounding the transition from feudalism to capitalism and by class struggle. France, russia and china and mexico are first generation revolution. Class conflict model (karl marx): views revolutions as movements driven by inherent class based conflicts in society.
