Background

• classics: England-Cromwell (1640), US (1776),  France, (1789)
• major revolutions in 20th century have been more rural than urban
•  Mexico (1911), Russia (1917), Turkey (1919), China (1949),
• Cuba (1959), Nicaragua (1970s) Iran (1979)
• Promise utopia, econ growth, end poverty, social justice, nationalism, new values, but never can accomplish all this

• Simple revolution: violent, non legal change in form of government
• Social revolution: rapid, violent change in values, institutions, social structure, leadership, government activities and policies.
• political revolution: insurgency that bring comprehensive political and socioeconomic change
• Revolution from below: strikes, demonstrations, guerilla warfare (with leadership)
• Revolution from above: military leaders (Ataturk, Nasser, Peru)

• state undermined by international pressures, war, economic collapse (Turkey, Russia, China)
• internal rot, decay, loss of nationalist credentials (Iran)
• breakdown of local structures of stability
• lack legitimacy coming from democratic elections
• uses excessive brutality in repression

Challenge from Below: rebels must establish viability and broad support

• economic growth, rising expectations, collapse, relative depravation, esp for elites, middle class
• peasants "moral economy" dissolved by capitalist displacement of reciprocal responsibilities (of patrons)
• small, tenant, land less fear loosing land, survival
• some regions have tradition of rebellion
• leadership typically comes form middle or upper class intellectuals

Revolution in Power

1. equality, land redistribution, social equality (may involve constraints or elimination of old social elite)
2. government jobs for peasants, workers
3. guaranteed jobs, medical care, subsidized housing, food
4. party, government officials become "new class"
5. revolutionary support groups, mass movements
6. opposition parties kept weak or fully repressed
7. leadership becomes corrupt, esp. second generation

Asia: China, Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia, Philippines, Malaysia
Africa: Algeria, Kenya, Namibia, Biafra, Eritrea, Sudan, Ethiopia, Libya
LatAm: Cuba, Nicaragua, Bolivia, Mexico, Peru (Shining Path)

Situation now:

Marxism looses broad appeal
Current rural revolutionary groups: Colombia, Nepal, Mexico (Chiapas), Peru (Tupac Amaru?)