I found it interesting how over time our understanding of revolutions has changed even though the goal is ultimately still the same. We saw that before the French Revolution, revolutions were mostly thought of as a restoration and that they came about by fate. Due to this definition, those who were leading them it seems like are not given credit for consciously making their decisions and seeing something totally anew after its done seems out of reach. However as time goes on, we see that we begin to believe that actually we can start with a new slate and completely anew. This transformation to me was interesting!
Revolutions
Professor Shervin Malekzadeh
The transformation of our understanding of what actually constitutes the end of a revolution is intriguing indeed. Do you think this shift in our actual definition of a revolution would be enough to have a drastic, tangible impact on one? For example, if in the midst of the Haitian Revolution, the outraged masses had defined their resistance as working towards a restoration rather than a full blown revolution, would they have been as inclined to put their lives at risk? Due to the horrendous conditions they lived under pre-uprising the answer would most likely still be yes, but it is a question worth considering for sure.