Looking for Modern research that dissect/defines the revolutionary process

November 12, 2005 9:55 PM

Looking for modern research (books, articles, papers etc) that dissect/define the revolutionary process.

Inspired by an article in the NY Times concerning the chaos/madness in Jordan, and this quote from the article: "The creation of chaos has often been a first step in the revolutionary process" I am looking for Modern (not Mao Tsetung or Machiavelli) research (books, articles, papers etc) that dissect/define the revolutionary process.

posted by Sagres to society & culture (8 comments total)

Google Scholar
posted by Pigpen at 10:25 PM on November 12, 2005

The Sling and the Stone by Thomas X. Hammes is focused on the evolution of insurgent warfare. It covers the era from Mao's People's Revolution through Vietnam, the Sandinistas, the Palestinian-Israeli conflict(s), and Iraq and Afghanistan.

It is not solely about revolution, but it does a decent job discussing the revolution process and how insurgency has been incorporated into the mix. I read it expecting it to be a shallow discussion summarizing what I already knew about the conflicts, and was very impressed by both the ideas and the author (who has some academic bonafides as well as being an officer in the US Marine Corps). While I don't buy all his interpretations, he does a great job explaining the political and social machinations involved in insurgency based revolutions.
posted by i love cheese at 11:04 PM on November 12, 2005

Pigpen: I should have mentioned that I checked G & GS and many other web-based resources without finding exactly what I was looking for. ILC: Thank you - I'll pickup the book.
posted by Sagres at 12:17 AM on November 13, 2005

Perhaps "Coup d'état, a Practical Handbook" by Edward Luttwak and printed by Harvard University Press might be of use?

The book figures in a Robert Anton Wilson novel ("Schrodinger's Cat" I believe), where it is used by an Illuminati agent as a blueprint for taking over a small coastal African country.
posted by archae at 2:47 AM on November 13, 2005

Theda Skocpol: States and Social Revolutions.
posted by cushie at 7:41 AM on November 13, 2005

Although it is several decades old, you can not go wrong with Crane Brinton's The Anatomy of Revolution.

Brinton surveys several of the biggies (American, British, French, Russian). His goal is to build a conceptual model of revolution by discovering the commonalities and differences between his examples. He looks at revolution through the analogy of disease and sketches out its path, from the earliest symptoms to recovery. It's an excellent, thought-provoking book, and a short read to boot.
posted by jbrjake at 8:41 AM on November 13, 2005

For nonviolent revolutionary change, A Force More Powerful: A Century of Nonviolent Conflict, by Peter Ackerman and Jack DuVall, is an absolute must-read.
posted by mediareport at 6:47 PM on November 13, 2005

Thanks to everyone for the suggestions.
posted by Sagres at 7:08 PM on November 13, 2005