Author Description
This book provides a succinct yet up-to-date and challenging approach to the French Revolution of 1789-1799 and its consequences. Peter McPhee provides an accessible and reliable overview and one which deliberately introduces students to central debates among historians. The book has two main aims. One aim is to consider the origins and nature of the Revolution of 1789-99. Why was there a Revolution in France in 1789? Why did the Revolution follow its particular course after 1789? When was it 'over'? A second aim is to examine the significance of the Revolutionary period in accelerating the decay of Ancien Regime society. How 'revolutionary' was the Revolution? Was France fundamentally changed as a result of it? Of particular interest to students will be the emphasis placed by the author on the repercussions of the Revolution on the practives of daily life: the lived experience of the Revolution. The author's recent work on the environmental impact of the Revolution is also incorporated to provide a lively, modern, and rounded picture of France during this critical phase in the development of modern Europe.
Menrva's Summary
THE THESIS
This work investigates the origins, progression, and long-term societal consequences of the French Revolution between 1789 and 1799. Peter McPhee, a noted historian of modern France, utilizes a synthesis of archival research and historiographical analysis to evaluate how the Revolution dismantled the Ancien Regime. The text addresses fundamental questions regarding the necessity of the uprising, the factors dictating its trajectory, and the extent to which it fundamentally altered the structure of French life.
THE SCOPE MAP
What You Will Find
- Analysis of the political and social origins of the 1789 uprising
- Examination of the Revolution's impact on daily life and environmental conditions
- Overview of major historiographical debates regarding the period
- Assessment of the transition from the Ancien Regime to modern statehood
Scope Limits
- Does not provide an exhaustive minute-by-minute chronicle of every military engagement
- Focuses primarily on the French domestic experience rather than global geopolitical implications
THE AUTHORITY PERSPECTIVE
Scholars and educators frequently cite this text as a balanced, accessible introduction for students navigating the complexities of revolutionary history. Experts highlight the author's inclusion of environmental and social history as a modern contribution to the field.
Page Count:
241
Publication Date:
2001-01-01
Publisher:
OUP Oxford
ISBN-10:
0191608254
ISBN-13:
9780191608254
History
Social History
European History
Political History
French History