- [Narrator] Politics are a powerful
and dynamic human creation, a truth most evident
in revolutions around the world.
A revolution, in a political sense,
is a sudden and seismic shift
from one form of government to another.
While revolutions come in many forms,
they often share four characteristcis in varying degrees.
Dissident elites, mass frustration,
shared motivation, and state crises.
All together, these factors have ignited
some of the most radical changes throughout history.
Revolutions are often facilitated by a dissident elite.
This particular group is comprised of people
with wealth, power, or an education
who are willing to challenge the existing adminisitration.
Elites played a critical role in the American Revolution,
one of the earliest revolutions in modern history.
American colonists, under the rule of Great Britain,
won a war for their independence in 1783.
Colonial elites like Thomas Jefferson,
who would later become a United States president,
fueled the revolt by contributing
their resources toward reform.
Frustration among the masses also plays
a critical role in social upheavals.
When a large percentage of a population
feels grave discontent with their political,
economic, and social institutions, they may revolt.
Only a few years after the American Revolution,
the people of France initiated their own revolt.
Several factors, including economic difficulties
and an antiquated feudal system
that fueled social inequalities
all contributed to the dissent.
Ultimately, French society permanently ousted their monarchy
and replaced it with a republic.
Another characteristic found in revolutions
is a shared motivation.
Shared motivations are what unify
a large enough number of people,
specifically from multiple classes
and groups, to effectively rebel.
These motivations helped the revolutions
of Latin America in the early 19th century.
Ruled by Spain and Portugal at the time,
colonists from multiple Latin American classes
and ethnicities were inspired by the Enlightenment.
The intellectual movement challenged tradition,
including traditional forms of governance,
and ended up playing a role in the fight
for colonists' independence in Latin America.
Severe state crises also motivate revolutions.
In particular, an administration's failure
to meet the needs of its people
make it vulnerable to insurgency.
The revolutions of early 20th century Russia occurred
because of the government's exceptional frailty.
Its political, military, and economic systems
had been virtually decimated
by the state's defeats in World War I.
The nation's power vacuum then led to revolts
that replaced Russia's imperial state
and created the world's first communist regime.
Virtually all revolutions experience severe state crises,
shared motivations,
mass frustrations,
and a dissident elite to some degree.
While revolutions may involve different players,
governments, and cultures, the characteristics they share
help them transcend their differences
and demonstrate the dynamism of human nature and politics.