Choose an application

• Reference Manager
• EndNote
• RefWorks (Direct export to RefWorks)

Here Timothy Tackett tests some of the diverse explanations of the origins of the French Revolution by examining the psychological itineraries of the individuals who launched it--the deputies of the Estates General and the National Assembly. Based on a wide variety of sources, notably the letters and diaries of over a hundred deputies, the book assesses their collective biographies and their cultural and political experience before and after 1789. In the face of the current "revisionist" orthodoxy, it argues that members of the Third Estate differed dramatically from the Nobility in wealth, status, and culture.Virtually all deputies were familiar with some elements of the Enlightenment, yet little evidence can be found before the Revolution of a coherent oppositional "ideology" or "discourse." Far from the inexperienced ideologues depicted by the revisionists, the Third Estate deputies emerge as practical men, more attracted to law, history, and science than to abstract philosophy. Insofar as they received advance instruction in the possibility of extensive reform, it came less from reading books than from involvement in municipal and regional politics and from the actions and decrees of the monarchy itself. Before their arrival in Versailles, few deputies envisioned changes that could be construed as "Revolutionary." Such new ideas emerged primarily in the process of the Assembly itself and continued to develop, in many cases, throughout the first year of the Revolution.Originally published in 1996.The Princeton Legacy Library uses the latest print-on-demand technology to again make available previously out-of-print books from the distinguished backlist of Princeton University Press. These editions preserve the original texts of these important books while presenting them in durable paperback and hardcover editions. The goal of the Princeton Legacy Library is to vastly increase access to the rich scholarly heritage found in the thousands of books published by Princeton University Press since its founding in 1905.

Political culture --- -Enlightenment --- -Legislators --- Lawmakers --- Legislatures, Members of --- Members of legislatures --- Members of parliaments --- Parliaments, Members of --- Aufklärung --- History --- -Influence --- Attitudes. --- France. Assemblee nationale constituante (1789-1791) --- France --- Pʻŭrangsŭ --- Frankrig --- Francja --- Frant︠s︡ii︠a︡ --- Prantsusmaa --- Francia (Republic) --- Tsarfat --- Tsorfat --- Franḳraykh --- Frankreich --- Fa-kuo --- Faguo --- Франция --- French Republic --- République française --- Peurancih --- Frankryk --- Franse Republiek --- Francland --- Frencisc Cynewīse --- فرنسا --- Faransā --- Franza --- Republica Franzesa --- Gallia (Republic) --- Hyãsia --- Phransiya --- Fransa --- Fransa Respublikası --- Franse --- Францыя --- Frantsyi︠a︡ --- Французская Рэспубліка --- Frantsuzskai︠a︡ Rėspublika --- Parancis --- Pransya --- Franis --- Francuska --- Republika Francuska --- Bro-C'hall --- Френска република --- Frenska republika --- França --- República Francesa --- Pransiya --- Republikang Pranses --- Γαλλία --- Gallia --- Γαλλική Δημοκρατία --- Gallikē Dēmokratia --- فرانسه --- Farānsah --- צרפת --- רפובליקה הצרפתית --- Republiḳah ha-Tsarfatit --- פראנקרייך --- 法国 --- 法蘭西共和國 --- Falanxi Gongheguo --- フランス --- Furansu --- フランス共和国 --- Furansu Kyōwakoku --- Francija --- Ranska --- Frankrike --- -Causes. --- Legislators --- Enlightenment --- Attitudes --- Influence --- France. --- Causes --- Influence. --- Revolution, 1789-1799 --- 18th century --- France. Assemblée nationale constituante --- Causes. --- אספה הלאומית, 9871־1971 --- Culture --- Political science --- Statesmen --- Eighteenth century --- Philosophy, Modern --- Rationalism --- Political culture - France - History - 18th century --- Legislators - France - Attitudes --- Enlightenment - France - Influence --- France - History - Revolution, 1789-1799 - Causes