The French Revolution was one of the most startling, exciting, and terrifying periods in European History. People and governments throughout Europe trembled at the thought that “it could happen here”, just like they did over a century later when the Soviet Union arose from the ashes of the First World War. But is, ‘because it’s interesting’, a good reason to study it? Are there other reasons why we should still care about the French Revolution?
The answer is definitely “Yes!” Many of our ideas about politics and democracy were developed during the Revolution. These include distinctions between left wing and right wing, ideologies such as liberalism and socialism, and the idea of universal human rights, clearly visible reflected in the 1789 declaration of the rights of man and citizen.
But studying the French Revolution also helps us think about how we talk about different groups in society, and about how these discussions shape politics.
