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More than six weeks old, and I am still getting questions, comments, RTs, people finding this piece for the first time. Response to queries and critics follow 1/ https://twitter.com/trekonomics/status/1263228437721780224
Many asked if I was predicting or trying to provoke "mass civil unrest" when I wrote this 2/ https://www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archive/2020/04/revolution-only-getting-started/609463/
3/ Given inadequacies of federal response to current economic crisis (nearly 15% unemployment, officially!), civil unrest seems MORE likely than it did in early April. Something like March on Washington or summer 1932?
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bonus_Army
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bonus_Army
4/ But mass gatherings in a pandemic are a BAD idea! Action today must revolutionize model of “unrest.” Drive-by protests. Caravans. Convoys. The Poor People’s March WILL BE televized! #PoorPeoplesCampaign #StayAlive June 20th https://twitter.com/BRepairers/status/1264293623321055232
5/ Here in a supposedly “red” state, @HoosierAction has been incredibly active. And it’s had some successes. https://www.hoosieraction.org/events
6/ Some have said “But look who in the country has guns!” Remember that the troops defending the Bastille had cannons, ordinary Parisians did not. Revolutions are less about who has force and more about who can use it legitimately and effectively.
7/Federal response to economic, medical crises ( #OnYourOwn) is pushing city + state governments to breaking point. Further delegitimating current forms. This is scary; could collapse into “anarcho capitalism” or be prompt to big structural change. https://twitter.com/RebeccaSpang/status/1262226096348594178
8/ I wrote in response to Shadi Hamid’s @TheAtlantic essay claiming Covid “killed the revolution.” Since then, we’ve seen creation of new task forces likely to move Democratic Party platform to left; https://prospect.org/politics/bidens-new-pressure-from-progressives/
9/ Also growing awareness that "essential workers" are treated as disposable people. Concern for meatpacking workers, grocerystore clerks, delivery drivers, instacart shoppers, etc.—this is the "What is the Third Estate?" of our day, and it’s powerful https://www.washington.edu/news/2013/05/15/documents-that-changed-the-world-what-is-the-third-estate-1789/
10/ Of course as my old @HistoryWO colleague @john_pether pointed out, historians, journalists are really bad at predicting future. He remembers many thinking 9/11 would → ban on new high rises, urgent international action on Israel-Palestine, strengthening global governance.
One of the most sobering comments was @john_pether’s suggestion that our current crisis could be like Partition: policymakers see the crisis in advance, under estimate its impact, then totally botch execution. @OxfordYasmin’s book is good intro
https://yalebooks.yale.edu/book/9780300143331/great-partition
https://yalebooks.yale.edu/book/9780300143331/great-partition
12/ Many responded to my @TheAtlantic essay by asking what to read about the French Rev. You could start with Jeremy Popkin's _Short History of the French Revolution_ or one of @ProfDaveAndress fine books https://researchportal.port.ac.uk/portal/en/persons/david-andress(732686fb-afcf-46c6-a38f-ff8d0031666f)/publications.html
13/ Those new to the French Rev, or who haven't studied it in decades might want to start with this website edited by Lynn Hunt, Jack Censer for @CHNM https://revolution.chnm.org/exhibits/show/liberty--equality--fraternity/social-causes-of-revolution
14/ Finally, some slightly more in-depth, v readable books about Fr Rev
Tackett, _Becoming a Revolutionary_
Alder, _Engineering the Revolution_
@DavidAvromBell, _First Total War_
Desan, _Family on Trial in Revolutionary France_
Dubois ( @Soccerpolitics), _Avengers of New World_
Tackett, _Becoming a Revolutionary_
Alder, _Engineering the Revolution_
@DavidAvromBell, _First Total War_
Desan, _Family on Trial in Revolutionary France_
Dubois ( @Soccerpolitics), _Avengers of New World_
15/15 In short, this is exciting (frightening) time to be a historian of revolution. Or of restaurants. Or of the social life of money. Lucky me: I'm all three!
sigh
I think I'll take a little break and go spread some mulch. Cultivating my garden very literally these days.
sigh
I think I'll take a little break and go spread some mulch. Cultivating my garden very literally these days.
