Revolution
Structure and Meaning in World History
9780226026831
9780226026848
Revolution
Structure and Meaning in World History
A revolution is a discontinuity: one political order replaces another, typically through whatever violent means are available. Modern theories of revolutions tend neatly to bracket the French Revolution of 1789 with the fall of the Soviet Union two hundred years later, but contemporary global uprisings—with their truly multivalent causes and consequences—can overwhelm our ability to make sense of them.
In this authoritative new book, Saïd Amir Arjomand reaches back to antiquity to propose a unified theory of revolution. Revolution illuminates the stories of premodern rebellions from the ancient world, as well as medieval European revolts and more recent events, up to the Arab Spring of 2011. Arjomand categorizes revolutions in two groups: ones that expand the existing body politic and power structure, and ones that aim to erode—but paradoxically augment—their authority. The revolutions of the past, he tells us, can shed light on the causes of those of the present and future: as long as centralized states remain powerful, there will be room for greater, and perhaps forceful, integration of the politically disenfranchised.
In this authoritative new book, Saïd Amir Arjomand reaches back to antiquity to propose a unified theory of revolution. Revolution illuminates the stories of premodern rebellions from the ancient world, as well as medieval European revolts and more recent events, up to the Arab Spring of 2011. Arjomand categorizes revolutions in two groups: ones that expand the existing body politic and power structure, and ones that aim to erode—but paradoxically augment—their authority. The revolutions of the past, he tells us, can shed light on the causes of those of the present and future: as long as centralized states remain powerful, there will be room for greater, and perhaps forceful, integration of the politically disenfranchised.
400 pages | 3 tables | 6 x 9 | © 2019
History: Ancient and Classical History, General History, History of Ideas, Middle Eastern History
Sociology: Social Change, Social Movements, Political Sociology, Theory and Sociology of Knowledge
Reviews
Table of Contents
List of Abbreviations
Introduction / Revolution in Comparative and Historical Sociology
The Modern Idea of Revolution and Rereading the Past
Revolution and Theory
Revolution and Meaning in History
Definition and Architectonics of the Concept of Revolution
Conceptions of Revolution in the Ancient and Medieval World
Causes, Process, and Consequences of Revolutions Reconsidered
A Structural Typology of Revolutions: Explaining Common Patterns
Religion, Ideology, and the Motivation of Revolution
Teleology of Revolutions and Their Significance
Revolution and Theory
Revolution and Meaning in History
Definition and Architectonics of the Concept of Revolution
Conceptions of Revolution in the Ancient and Medieval World
Causes, Process, and Consequences of Revolutions Reconsidered
A Structural Typology of Revolutions: Explaining Common Patterns
Religion, Ideology, and the Motivation of Revolution
Teleology of Revolutions and Their Significance
One / The Akkadian Constitutive Revolution and the Establishment of Universal Monarchy in Mesopotamia
Political Structure of Mesopotamian City-States and Their Common Culture
Revolutionary Unification of Mesopotamia and Transition to Empire
Mesopotamian Value-Ideas and the Ideology of the Akkadian Revolution
Consequences and Significance of the Akkadian Revolution
Dynastic Cycles and the Emergence of a New Revolutionary Pattern in Ancient Mesopotamia
Revolutionary Unification of Mesopotamia and Transition to Empire
Mesopotamian Value-Ideas and the Ideology of the Akkadian Revolution
Consequences and Significance of the Akkadian Revolution
Dynastic Cycles and the Emergence of a New Revolutionary Pattern in Ancient Mesopotamia
Two / The Athenian Constitutive Revolution and Subsequent Revolutions of Ancient Greece
Constitutive Revolution and the Establishment of Democracy in Athens
Consequences of the Cleisthenian Revolution
Ideology, Organization, and the Cycle of Greek Revolutions and Counterrevolutions during the Peloponnesian War
The Constitutive Revolution of the Roman Ancient Republic: A Comparison
Conclusion
Consequences of the Cleisthenian Revolution
Ideology, Organization, and the Cycle of Greek Revolutions and Counterrevolutions during the Peloponnesian War
The Constitutive Revolution of the Roman Ancient Republic: A Comparison
Conclusion
Three / Revolution in the Roman Republic
Prelude to Revolution: 126–122 BCE
Extension of Roman Citizenship through the Social and Civil Wars: 91–84 BCE
Sulla and the Counterrevolution: 82–79 BCE
Transformation of the Republic into Monarchy: 52–27 BCE
The Augustan Settlement and the Cumulative Consequences of the Revolutions of the Late Republic
Extension of Roman Citizenship through the Social and Civil Wars: 91–84 BCE
Sulla and the Counterrevolution: 82–79 BCE
Transformation of the Republic into Monarchy: 52–27 BCE
The Augustan Settlement and the Cumulative Consequences of the Revolutions of the Late Republic
Four / Revolution in the Roman Principate and Its Transformation into Imperial Constitutional Autocracy
The Authority Structure of the Principate
The First Year of the Four Emperors and Revolutionary Power Struggle
The Flavian Consolidation of Revolution and Constitution of Imperial Autocracy
The First Year of the Four Emperors and Revolutionary Power Struggle
The Flavian Consolidation of Revolution and Constitution of Imperial Autocracy
Five / The Last Roman Integrative Revolution
Loss of Legitimacy and Commodus’s Purge of the Senate and His Murder
Septimius Severus and the Revolutionary Power Struggle, 193–197
The Severan Consolidation of Revolution
Consequences of the Severan Revolution
Roman Revolutions in Perspective
Septimius Severus and the Revolutionary Power Struggle, 193–197
The Severan Consolidation of Revolution
Consequences of the Severan Revolution
Roman Revolutions in Perspective
Six / Rise of the Sasanian Empire: A Feudal Integrative Revolution in Late Antiquity
Alexander and Anti-Alexander
The Political Structure of Parthian Feudalism
Ardashir’s Long Integrative Revolution
The Pan-Iranian Ideology and the Restoration of Mazdian Religion as Instruments of Mobilization
Consequences of the Sasanian Revolution
Conclusion
The Political Structure of Parthian Feudalism
Ardashir’s Long Integrative Revolution
The Pan-Iranian Ideology and the Restoration of Mazdian Religion as Instruments of Mobilization
Consequences of the Sasanian Revolution
Conclusion
Seven / Rise of Islam: The Constitutive Revolution of Late Antiquity
Preconditions of a Constitutive Revolution on the Periphery of Empires
Revolutionary Mobilization: Holy Struggle (Jihād) in the Path of God
The Construction of a New Community (Umma) in Medina
The Unification of Arabia and the Emergence of a Composite Muslim Polity
Consequences of Muhammad’s Constitutive Revolution in Arabia
Revolutionary Mobilization: Holy Struggle (Jihād) in the Path of God
The Construction of a New Community (Umma) in Medina
The Unification of Arabia and the Emergence of a Composite Muslim Polity
Consequences of Muhammad’s Constitutive Revolution in Arabia
Eight / Islam’s Integrative Social Revolution
The Revolution of the Eastern Periphery: Khorasan
Outbreak of the Revolution
Revolutionary State Building, Export of Revolution, and Imperial Expansion
The Revolutionary Power Struggle and the Reintegration of the Khorasanian Periphery
Revolutionary Leadership and the Appropriation of the Hashemite Revolution
Consequences of the ʿAbbasid Revolution: Caliphal Absolutism and the Integration of the Persian Mawāli
Outbreak of the Revolution
Revolutionary State Building, Export of Revolution, and Imperial Expansion
The Revolutionary Power Struggle and the Reintegration of the Khorasanian Periphery
Revolutionary Leadership and the Appropriation of the Hashemite Revolution
Consequences of the ʿAbbasid Revolution: Caliphal Absolutism and the Integration of the Persian Mawāli
Nine / The Papal Revolution and Its Export: The Crusades
Geopolitics of the Reform of the Church in the Second Half of the Eleventh Century
Constitutional Politics of the Revolutionary Struggle for the Freedom of the Church
Revolutionary Mobilization of Italian Cities and Frankish Feudal Society
Teleology of the Papal Revolution
Consolidation of the Papal Revolution by Urban II (1088–1099)
Export of the Papal Revolution
Consequences of the Papal Revolution
Constitutional Politics of the Revolutionary Struggle for the Freedom of the Church
Revolutionary Mobilization of Italian Cities and Frankish Feudal Society
Teleology of the Papal Revolution
Consolidation of the Papal Revolution by Urban II (1088–1099)
Export of the Papal Revolution
Consequences of the Papal Revolution
Ten / The Mongolian Integrative Revolution in Eurasia
The Prototype: Ancient Constitutive Revolutions of the First and Second Turk Empires
Chinggis Khan’s Integrative Revolution and the Establishment of the Great Mongol Empire
The Great Mongol Empire under Ögedei and Möngke
Consequences of the Mongol Revolution I: Emergence of the Compound Society in Iran
The Constitutionalist Reading of the Rise of the Mongols by Persian Bureaucrats
Consequences of the Mongol Revolution II: The Yuan Polity in China
Confucian Statecraft under the Yuan
Compound Societies in Il-Khanid Iran and Yuan China: A Comparison
Chinggis Khan’s Integrative Revolution and the Establishment of the Great Mongol Empire
The Great Mongol Empire under Ögedei and Möngke
Consequences of the Mongol Revolution I: Emergence of the Compound Society in Iran
The Constitutionalist Reading of the Rise of the Mongols by Persian Bureaucrats
Consequences of the Mongol Revolution II: The Yuan Polity in China
Confucian Statecraft under the Yuan
Compound Societies in Il-Khanid Iran and Yuan China: A Comparison
Conclusion / World-Historical and Theoretical Significance of Premodern Revolutions
Premodern Revolutions and the Pattern of World History
A Typology of Premodern Revolutions
A Typology of Premodern Revolutions
Epilogue / Revolutions of the Last Hundred Years in the Light of My Typology
The Epicycle of Revolutions Motivated by the Modern Myth of Revolution
Negotiated, Dystopian Revolutions of Central Eurasia after 1989
The Arab Revolution of 2011
Conclusion
Negotiated, Dystopian Revolutions of Central Eurasia after 1989
The Arab Revolution of 2011
Conclusion
Notes
References
Index
References
Index
Author Events
Jan 25, 2026 03:00 PM, Eastern Time
Miriam Leonard will discuss her new book, Revolution, at a virtual event sponsored by Princeton University
Miriam Leonard will discuss Revolution with Joshua Billings at a virtual event hosted by Princeton University.. For more information, visit the event site.
Virtual Event
For information and to register, visit the event site.