General Discussion
In reply to the discussion: America Is Becoming a Bit More Liberal. That's Pretty Unusual Six Years Into a Democratic Presidency [View all]RainDog
(28,784 posts)Not the poor and unrepresented.
The King called the three (clergy, aristocrats, commoners (i.e. lawyers, etc.) "houses" together to deal with the reality that the aristocrats did not want to pay taxes to pay the costs of wars Louis had either started or assisted (including the American Revolution.) The aristocrats wanted to put this cost on the commoners (not the poor) who were educated but denied benefits the aristocracy and clergy enjoyed from the King.
They couldn't come to an agreement.
So, factions in ALL THREE made the "Tennis Court Oath" to deal with the situation. Lafayette was an aristocrat. Robespierre was a lawyer. The middle/upper classes used propaganda to gain the loyalty of the peasants (sans culottes).
but, as you mention - a factor in revolution seems to be a retrenchment and despotic power among those who have taken down the ruling power. That was The Terror... which, as you note, only ended when Robespierre, the man who called for it, was beheaded himself because he had created such paranoia and fear among the revolutionaries they could not get anything done.
So, Napoleon took charge.
The Russian Revolution - Stalin took charge.
To me, evolution is better than revolution. Those in positions of power just have to recognize it is in their self interest to pay taxes because, otherwise, the society in which they live may fall into chaos and they may lose their loved ones or their lives.
That's what it all comes down to - can their fear of certain unrest (because this is, in fact, a certainty when conditions degrade to a point at which the middle class no longer feels invested in the status quo - the middle class, not the poor), overcome their greed.
It's up to the wealthy to decide how they want the future to go.