Contesting the French Revolution provides an insightful overview of one of history’s most significant events, as well as examining the most significant historiographical debates about this period. Explores the causes, events, and consequences of the French Revolution Offers a stimulating analysis of the most controversial debates: Were the events of 1789 a social revolution or a political accident? Did they mark the rise of industrial capitalism or the birth of modern democracy? Was Napoleon Bonaparte an heir to the ideals of 1789 or a betrayer of the Revolution? Shows how historical interpretation of the French Revolution has been influenced by the changing political and social currents of the last 200 years – from the Russian Revolution to the fall of the Berlin Wall – and how historical study has shifted from a political focus to social and cultural approaches in more recent years.

Hunt examines the major themes of the period, including the pre-revolution economic and political situation in France. Combining narrative and interpretation, this book provides a concise introduction and study aid for students.

Gary Kates' The French Revolutionis a collection of key papers at the forefront of current research on the French Revolution. Kates contributes a clear and thorough introduction which contextualizes the historiographical controversies surrounding the Revolution, weaving them into a sophisticated narrative. Taken together, the pieces challenge orthodox assumptions concerning the origins, development, and long-term historical consequences of the Revolution, including the inevitability of the Terror, subsequent issues for nineteenth century French history, the intellectual connection, the late role of Napoleon, and the feminist dimension. Contributors include: Albert Soboul, Colin Lucas, Keith Michael Baker, William H. Sewell, jr., Colin Jones, Timothy Tackett, John Markoff, Lyn Hunt and Olwen Hufton.

First Published in 2004. Routledge is an imprint of Taylor & Francis, an informa company.

The book that established Thomas Carlyle’s reputation when first published in 1837, this spectacular historical masterpiece has since been accepted as the standard work on the subject. It combines a shrewd insight into character, a vivid realization of the picturesque, and a singular ability to bring the past to blazing life, making it a reading experience as thrilling as any novel. As John D. Rosenberg observes in his Introduction, The French Revolution is “one of the grand poems of [Carlyle’s] century, yet its poetry consists in being everywhere scrupulously rooted in historical fact.” This Modern Library Paperback Classics edition, complete and unabridged, is unavailable anywhere else.