America 250 (part 4) : A Tale of Two Revolutions - America and France

Revolution/wikipedia

The latter half of the 18th century spawned two notable revolutions: 

* The American Revolution

* The French Revolution

One replaced a monarchy with a successful republic, whose continuing form of government is in place to this day. The other replaced a monarchy with the guillotine, the Reign of Terror, anarchy, then an emperor followed by several types of government.

What went right? What went wrong?

https://youtu.be/7tpy6T2Cg5w?si=euGxoXzgIVwoinMh

The different results of each social experiment can be summed up by these three reasons:

1. Understanding of human nature:

America: Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness

Inalienable rights protect the people from the tyranny of government. The worldview was based on the Judeo-Christian concept of human nature as flawed. Government needs checks and balances, be bound by law, and be subject to religious instruction to restrain corruption.

France: Liberty, Equality, Fraternity

The leaders of the new republic despised religion, with a worldview that reason alone could remake society from the ground up. But forced Equality does not permit liberty or fraternity. Liberty was turned to revenge, resulting in the Reign of Terror and the guillotine.

2. Quality of Leadership

America: 

Leaders rose to greatness as the occasion demanded, such as George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, John Adams, and Alexander Hamilton.

George Washington saw himself as a servant of the republic, resigned his commission at the end of the war, served as president when called upon by the people, and retired after two terms.

France: 

Leaders like Maximilien Robespierre, Jean Paul Marat, and Louis de Saint-Just installed a Reign of Terror that inspired monsters, such as Lenin, Stalin, and Trotsky. 

The republic descended into anarchy, replaced by a strong man, Napoleon.

3. Experience of Self-Government

America:

Before the revolution, the colonies experienced two centuries of self-government. Hence, at that time, these colonies were the freest in the civilized world, least governed, least taxed, and least bound by class distinction

France:

Before the revolution, class was destiny, most denizens were heavily taxed, and social mobility was impossible. The people had no experience of self-government. In the end, the monarchy was replaced by an emperor. 

In conclusion:

The American Revolution since King George III changed the world for the better. This constitutional republic has the oldest written national constitution still in continuous use. (reference: legalknowledgebase.com)

The French Revolution changed the world for the worse. And since Luis XVI, France has had 10 to 13 forms of government, from republics to empires to monarchies to puppet governments under Nazi occupation.

Happy 250th, America!

America's 250th: America 250 Years in the Making

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For other posts on this thread, search:

America 250

America's Story

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Photos: Revolution/wikipedia

Pop Culture (part 3) - It's Gonna Be All Right

John Lennon/everystockphoto.com

Angry men! 

That could sum up the White Working Class during the 2016 election cycle.

And the Harvard Business Review has an excellent article about this constituency that felt disenfranchised for years:

* What So Many People Don’t Get About the U.S. Working Class (November 10, 2016)

And in the spirit of the age, some have felt drawn to this popular song from the musical, Les Miserables (2012).

A song of angry men

(reference: https://youtu.be/47E2tfK5QAg )

Based on the Victor Hugo novel, the setting for the musical is during troubling times in France.

1789–1832

The novel spanned the French Revolution, the Reign of Terror, the rise and fall of Napoleon, the Bourbon Restoration, to the July Monarchy. [ reference: France in the Long Nineteenth Century ]

And during the July Monarchy, the workers revolted against their abysmal conditions.  The scene in the video clip above reflects this protest.

Then in...

2016

This theme was picked up by some Trump supporters. Especially, after half of his supporters were described as a basket of deplorables:  Les Deplorables (September 16, 2016)

America has known turbulent times.  Just look back to the last century ...

The 1960s 

The unpopular Vietnam War sparked many protests and riots. The decade witnessed the assassination of many leaders: President John F Kennedy (1963), civil rights leader the Reverend Martin Luther King (1968), presidential candidate Senator Robert F Kennedy (1968). [ reference: America's Best Timeline (1960 - 1969 ) ]

Angry men...angry peoples... Even a call for....

Revolution?

And the Beatles, one of the icons of the era, had their take on the angry men of the time. It was even called  Revolution (1968) .

They put out this song answering the question about the Vietnam War. All the protests. All the riots. And their response in the lyrics is a surprising call for reason.

Let's take a closer look at them.

(reference: https://youtu.be/DJQtozWKCyg )

The entire lyrics can be found here: Beatles - Revolution Lyrics | MetroLyrics

Here's my comments on some of the meanings of the words.

* Point 1

You say you want a revolution
...
You tell me that it's evolution
...
We all want to change the world

 Revolution and evolution can be a good thing.
(Something we've heard a lot about in the past few election cycles.)
Hope and Change
Good intentions, right? 
Change the world for the better

* Counter Point 1

But when you talk about destruction
Don't you know that you can count me out
....

Violent protests, riots, vandalism, looting?
Allegedly sparked by grievances, real or imagined.
Especially when a group doesn't get their way ...
Like an election?

Destruction? 
Count me out!


* Point 2

You say you got a real solution
...
We'd all love to see the plan
You ask me for a contribution
...
We're doing what we can

Of course, we want solutions to our vexing problems.
Social, economic, judicial, educational,...you name it.

What's the plan? 
How do we fix it?
Of course it will take effort, time, and money.
We'll do what we can.

* Counter Point 2

But if you want money for people with minds that hate
All I can tell is brother you have to wait
...

Hate is not the answer.
So often those who protest against hate 
seem to be the most hateful, don't you think?

It's calling out all the poverty pimps, fakers, charlatans
shaking us down for money 
Those who came to do good 
and did very well (for themselves) indeed.

* Point 3

You say you'll change the constitution
...
We all want to change your head

Yes, there's been a call to change the rules.
For example, abolishing the Electoral College, 
requiring an amendment to our Constitution.

And changing minds in the body politic.

* Counter Point 3

You tell me it's the institution
...
You better free you mind instead

Some claim our institutions are broken
Infected with white privilege.
The opposition is labeled as
 racist, homo-phobic, sexist...
yada, yada, yada

Those preaching tolerance
lecture those who disagree

Consider freeing your mind instead.
Like being truly open minded yourself.

But if you go carrying pictures of Chairman Mao
You ain't going to make it with anyone anyhow

Chairman Mao was China's dictator in the 1960s.
He brought about the Cultural Revolution 
as well as the deaths millions of his own people.
[ reference: Mao Tse-Tung ]

Oppression, suppression, death...
No, not this.

* Conclusion

Don't you know it's gonna be
All right...

In spite of all the turmoil, heated rhetoric, protests...
There's an optimism in these lyrics.

Even a faith expressed in a Higher Power.

After this election and the comings years...

It's Gonna Be All Right.

Yes,

It's Gonna Be All Right!


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Previous Post in the series:


Pop Culture (part 1) - Only Time and 9/11 (2015)

 Pop Culture (part 2) - Halloween Martian Invasion (2015)
  

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photo: John Lennon/everystockphoto.com