The French revolution is perhaps the most perplexing event in the history of modern Europe. The revolution commenced in 1789 and ended towards the latter stages of the 1790s. The watershed event involved the redesigning of the country’s political culture through the overthrow of monarchical and feudal systems of governance. The civil crisis resulted from years of discontent over the leadership of the monarch. In particular, the people rose against the policies pursued by King Loius XVI. The revolution may not have achieved all its aims but it played a major role towards shaping the worldview that power rests with the people.
The structural theory of conflict seems relevant in explaining the French revolution. Based on the theory, conflict results from tensions between or among groups competing for certain resources (de la Sablonnière, 2017). Ordinarily, conditions characterizing a society might predispose it to conflict. In the case of the French revolution, the despotic rule of the monarchy and harsh economic circumstances might have played a significant role in its emergence (Jean, 2017). Thus, as the theory anticipates, the conditions created tension between the country’s leadership and public.
The French revolution resulted in many outcomes both at the state and societal levels. At the state level, the model of governance changed as the French monarchy was replaced with civilian rule (Jean, 2017). In this regard, one significant effect of the revolution was the rise of representative democracy. After the overthrow of the King, a representative government took power. The development set a precedent not only for France but also for the rest of the world. Similarly, the revolution highlighted the need to respect liberal principles and uphold equality in society.
References
de la Sablonnière, R. (2017). Toward a psychology of social change: A typology of social change. Frontiers Psychology 8, 397.
Jean, J. (2017). A socialist history of the French revolution. Pluto Press.