‘Revolutions are not always brought about by a gradual decline from bad to worse. Nations that have endured patiently and almost unconsciously the most overwhelming oppression, often burst into rebellion against the yoke the moment it begins to grow lighter. The regime which is destroyed by a revolution is almost always an improvement on its immediate predecessor, and experience teaches that the most critical moment for bad governments is the one which witnesses their first steps toward reform.’
Why did the French Revolution happen? That is the great question Alexis de Tocqueville sets out to answer in this treatise.
Contrary to popular opinions at the time, the revolution was not a sudden event but a gradual change over time in the nature of society itself that finally culminated in the violence of the French Revolution. To understand the reasons behind the Revolution, we must first understand the nature of the Old Regime. The Old Regime and the Revolution is an undisputed classic in the study of politics, governance, and society, and will give readers unprecedented insights into the French Revolution and the Old Regime it overthrew. Alexis de Tocqueville meticulously documents every detail of the government, society, and laws of the Old Regime and provides a comprehensive analysis on how these different factors eventually led to the Old Regime's destruction. Although originally published in 1856, the lessons it teaches have applications and parallels to this day.
Alexis de Tocqueville (1805-1859) was a French politician, political theorist, and historian best known for his works Democracy in America and The Old Regime and the Revolution. Tocqueville is widely considered to be one of the first political and social scientists and his works are influential to this day.