Rethinking the French Revolution: Marxism and the Revisionist Challenge

239 Pages·1987·9.531 MB·English

by  George C. Comninel

Rethinking
THE
FRENCH
REVOLUTION
Marxisamn dt he
RevisioCnhiasltl enge
GeorCg.Ce o mninef
Witha F orewobryd
GeorgReu de

RethinktihnegF rench
Revolution
Marxisamn dt heR evisionCihsatl lenge
•
GEORGE C . COMNINEL
VERSO
Londo·Nn ew York
First pubblyiV sehresd1o 9 87
101987Ge orge Comninel
Allr ighrtess erved
Verso
UK:6 MeardS treet, LoWnIdVo 3nH R
USA:2 9W est3 5tSht reeNte,w Y orkN,Y 1000212 91
Versios t hei mprintN ewof L efBto oks
BritLiisbhr aCrayt alogiunPi unbgl icDaattiao n
ComnineGle,o rgCe.
RethinktihnegF rePlcrhe volution:
Marxisamn dt her evisiocnhiasltl enge.
1.F ranceH-istorY-Revolution,
1789-17942 .F rance-Pioclasintd
government-Revol1u7t8i9o-n1,7 99
I.Ti tle
944.04 DC161
ISBN0 -86091-8P9b0k- 4
ISBN0 -86091-179-9
USL ibraorfCy o ngrCeastsa loignPi unbgl icDaattiao n
ComnineGle,o rgCe.
RethinktihnegF rencRhe volutiMoanr:x isamn dt her evisionist
challenge/GeCo.rC goem ninewli;t ahn i ntroducbtyiG oeno rge
Rude.
p. cm.
Bibliograpp.h y:
Includiensd ex.
ISBN0 -86091-1$7394-.99:5 (U.ISS.B)N0. - 86091-8(9p0b-k4. ):
1. France-History-Rev1o7l8u9t-i1o7n9H,9i -storiography.
2.M arxiahni storiograpIh.Ty i.t le.
.
DC 147.8.C17948.7
944.04-dc19
TypesientT imebsy P .R.GG.r aphiLctsd .
PrintiendG reaBtr itabiyTn h etford LPtrde.Ns,os r folk.
Contents
Acknowledgements Vll
ForewobrydG eorgReu de ix
Introduction 1
1.T heF rencRhe volutasi oBno urgeoRiesv olutiOornt:h odoxanyd
Challenge 5
TheS ociIanlt erpretaantdBi oounr geRoeivso lution 5
TheP revaleonftc heeS ociIanlt erpretation 8
TheS ocial Interapsr' eOtfaftiicHoiinas lt'o ry 12
TheR evisioCnhiasltl enge 18
TheC onservaLtiibveer aloifts hmeR evisioCnhiasllte nge 20
2.T he MarxRiesstp onse 28
BourgeoRiesv olutiinMo anr x'Tsh ought 28
TheI nitMiaarlx ist Response 32
TheN ewA pproatcohB ourgeRoiesv olution 34
Reformulaotfti hoeOn r thodAocxc ount 42
TheB alanocfeC halleanngdeR esponse 46
3.B ourgeois RevoAl LuitbieornCa:ol n cept 53
BourgeoRiesv olutBieofno rMea rx 53
BourgeoRiesv olutUinodne trh eR estoration 56
TheU nitoyfL iberIadle ology 63
TheC urrenotfLs i berMaalt erialism 64
4.I nD efensoefH istorAy M:a rxisCtr itiqoufMe a rxisTth eory 77
Orthodox Marxism 78
StructurMaalrixsits m 82
CriticoifsS mtsr ucturMaeltihsotd ology 84
StructurMaalrixsitsa mn d' thTer ansition' 90
ClasRse latiaonndAs r ticulaotfMi oodne so fP roduction 95
5.L iberIadle oloagyn dt heP olitoifcst heR evolution 104
Liberal Idaenodtl hoeAg nyc ieRne gime 105
Liberal Piontl hietF ircse ncRhe volution 107
Class, HiasntdLo irbye,r alldeology 115
6.M arx'Esa rlTyh ought 121
TheO rigionfHs i storMiactaelr ialism 123
7.H istoriMcaatle rialism 133
MateriaalnidsSm o ciRaela lity 133
TheH istoriciozfPa otliiotnEi ccoanlo my 135
ProbleomfsT hGee rmanIde ology 140
DivisiofoL na bor 147
TheH istorMiactaelr iaalnidLs itb erCaoln ceptioofCn lsa ss 149
HistorMiactaelr iavlsiE.sc mo nomDiect erminism 153
Marx atnhdeD ivisoiofLn a bor 155
TheC onfusioofLn i beraanldH istorMiactaelr ialism 159
Marx'Cso nflatoifHo ins torNieccaels sities 163
TheM ethoodf H istorMiacatle rialism 166
Outlionfet heM ethoodf H istorMiactaelr ialism 170
TheP ractoifcH ei storMiactaelr ialism 174
ConclusiToonw:a rdasM arxisItn terpretoaftt ihoeFn r ench
Revolution 179
'BourgeRoeivso lutainodnt 'h eA ncieRne gime 180
Capitalainsdtm h eA ncieRne gime 182
ClasRse latiiontn hseA ncieRne gime 193
ClasIsn terients hteF rencRhe volution 1%
SeleBcitb liography 208
Index 219
Acknowledgements
Thibso oikas r eviasnerdde writtena vdeorcsdtiioosrnsa elor f­
tatpiroens etnott heGedr aduPartoeg raimnSm oec ainaPdlo li­
ticTahlo ugahtYt o rUkn iverMsysi ttuyda.in etdsh w er itoifn g
mucht hoifs textp owsesriiepnb a lmbreayta df ee llofrwosmh ip
theS ociSacli enacnedHs u maniRteiseesa Crocuhn ocfil
Canada.
Thearrese e vepreaolpw lheo scoen tribtuotti howionsrs Ik
woullidtk oea cknowlWeidlglIeir.av mai nnNdei chRoolgaesr s
adviasnecddo mmenotne dtt ehoxefmt y dissearnetdaa cthi on,
helpteosd t emeetr o wasrodmsie m porqtuaenstt ainoadnw sa,y
froamf epw itfNaelaWllos o.da lscoo mmenotnte hdae ta rly
texwth,i Rloeb eBrrte nnreeraa dn dco mmentuepdo tnh e
revimsaendu script. •
Fori ntriondmgue ct o rtahneg e of hiosnt otrhieo graphy
ancireeng i,m eIg raemai tnldye bttoJe .Fd .B oshHeer .d oes
noto,fc osureb,e aarnr ye sponwshiabtieflvoiterthr ye Iu shea ve
madoeft hrei hcihs twohriIycd hi scovtehrreodu ggehn heirsou s
assistance.
Myi nteirnte hscetl arsesl aotfti ohFners e nRcehv olwuatsi on
firsstti mulatweodr okbfG y e otrRhgueed , we hor etritehvee d
livoefcs o mmopne opfrloemf rogotdtoecnu metnomt ask e
meangifntuhl epiorl iatcitIcws aa.lfs ro tuntaoht aevb ee eanb le
tos tubdryi ewfliytP hr ofeRsusdoaern, ed v en fmrootruen ate
sintcheet no hbaevnee ffirtohemid ks i ndnienstse,ar neds t,
gooadd viIcw ean.tt ot hahnikfm o hri cosm menatnssd u gges­
tioannsld,o ofrkow atrotd a kuipnt gh ofsowerh itchhe wraens o
room ihnaef ruet wuorrek .
vii
viii
Ia me speciallyE lglrMeaenti ekfsWuiolno sdgf 'eosnr e rous
andi nvalausasbilseot vaetnrhc meea nyye asrisn schefe i rst
agreteosd u permvyid sies sieornHt.ear ot rigainncdar li tical
approtaotc hhqe u estoifco lnass ss taaintnpde r e-capitalist
sociaenttdyh t er anstioct aipoint waalasin is mmp oritnafnltu ­
encient hdee veloopfmm yei ndte Sahshe.a usn stinctoinn­gly
tribhuetqreu de stcioomnmnset,as n,cd r itiacnitdsh wmio,sr k
habse egnr eaitmlpyr oavsaer de sIuh latvl.ee arngeredda eata l
botfhr ohme wro rakn fdr om wowrikthihen rg.
Finaflolhrye ,sr u ppgoorotd, haunmudon rd,e rstIa nding,
dedaittceh bioso k tpoa rmtaynn ewdri ,f eABnanl l.
Foreword
GeogreC omninbeoloi'kass h ard-haintcdto inntge nwtoiroku s
thaits botour nadis soemf el farko m hiosftt ohRreei vlaouns­
tiobno,ta hm ontgh owsheo mh ec alls 'raenvtdih soisoen ists'
'orthoMdaorxxi'as ntdos t hewrhso sjeu dgements they have
beepnr opotsoi' nrge 'vB.iu stie t is vearltysh oo uga,h tful
origainnwdae ll la-rrcehbseoedof kr omy oauh nigs twohroisaen
argumetnhtosuh,gei h s n eaw cotmote hrfe ei ldde,s etrobv ee
carefeuxlalmyia nnewddi derleya d.
Thmea itnh roufDs rtC omninoenlt'esn'ttcihoawnth ,iti lhsee
FrenRcehv oluhtaibsoe new ni dedleyb attehdad,te bate has
oftbeene bna soendt heer ronperoeumsti hsaiett w'abso uar ­
georiesv'o l,u twihinio tcnhhbe o urgeionci hsailel,et hnoegl idn g
feudaarli-storcergeai,tsm iocu gthort e pliatbc yea liberal­
bourgepooilsi atnidsc oacloi radlfe arrv aobtlote h dee velop­
menta c oafp itmaoldoiefps rto ctdiuoTnh.me a jfoarl ilnta hciys
perspe,ac sth iesv eeeistl ,i iens mtihset aketnh atvthi ee w
Frenecihg hteeennttubhro-yuc rgeaonidas riies trboec­racy
longteotd w fou dnamenhtoasltlcilyla es ses( iwhnhiv esir eewa)s
they bwoeurnbedy a co mmoni ntetroee xsptlt ohmieat t erial
resouorftc hesest awtheil leea vtihonelg sd o coiradlve irr tually
intaScott hm.ea jiosrs ouveew rh itchhFe r ench Revolution was
foug(hatnt dha eu thionr w naody e niiteissm portwaannsco et),
asL efebavnrdSe o boaunldo th'esro ciinatle rphraevtee rs'
maintatioun perdo,oo tl 'dtf heeuo dradbleu'rrt a tthoge irtv hee
bourgetohidese isep,ji usnepidao rrt onfae rrisrs atcyoal,c a rger
-anudl timparteeployn d-sehraairnnet ptohlei cotnitcarolof l
ix
x
thset aitnev,o ltvhieenv ge ntdueamlio sfbe o tahr istocratic
privialnedg aetb hseo plouwtoeefrt hKei nAgn.di itfs o bre ing
thfei rtsoet x posef atlhliatsch y'e s oofci inatelr sp'ro,re ter
schooof' lo rthMoadroxxhi'is stt otrhiAaaltnf srC,eo db bhaans
earntehadeu thporra'iysse heteg; o eosn atrogt uhea t nheei ther
notrh Fer ehn acnAd meri'craenv istihoafntloi lsotwhsei'dm
havoeff eraenad c cepatlatbelrneea xtpilvaen oafwt hiatothn e
FrenRcehv oluwtarise oanal bloyu t.
Sot he mpauirnpo ofDs reC omnli'nbeso oiks etxpol tohries
wholpero blaenmeb wo,t ahst oi ts oarnitdgo ii tponsss sible
eventsuoallu tHioown,. tthobe engw,ii nt dhi,d mtihsitsa ken
perspeocfat 'ibvoeu rgreeoviosl'au rtiiIsotens ? t eadrt,th e
authboerl iewvietnsho ,n e othtahMnea rrh xi msoerlm,fo ,r e
exacwtiltyMh,a rxf'asi ltuoer xet end hicsr irtioigfqo ureo us
bourgeoipso-lliietbcieocrnaaotllmot y hs et uodfty h hei stoofr y
pre-capsiotcaiSleoitM syat.r ax l,t hohuehg ahad l re(afdryo m
184o3n warbdesg)ut noe volhvinese wt heoorfy historical
materiatlooioksv me,arl mousntc hanfgreodm Ftrheen ch
libehriaslt oorfit ahnes 1a8n2dt0 hse 'iprh ilosporpeh­ical'
deecsstohresii dreo afas' bourrgeevooilsau'nt iditp osan r ticular
applictaott hrieeo vno louf1t 7i8oT9nh. le i beorfat1lh8se2 , a0 ss
welalst heei ghteeennttuphrhi-ylc opshoeasn dt hpea triote
leadoeftr hsRe e voluittishoeanlsd f o,u snodc ainapdlo litical
reasfoonsrse etihncoegn flpircetcse adniadnc gco mpantyhien g
Revoluatsti hoeny idnbi odu:r geois-tmeartasme sran ialist
ineluscttrauboglfrge il gaehg ta iwnrsotno gff, u taugraei nst past,
oft hnea tiaogna itnhpsert i vialnedgm,eo drs;ep eicciafalsal y,
revoloufatf ioworanr d-lboooukrignegao niidts asil ela igeasi nst
ane ntrenacrhiesdtb ouctrtarcweyhs esinect da ,mt eot hpeo i,n t
byi tpsr otetchtaeob rs,o lmuotnea rIcnh .at uhte'h soow rn
words:
Thee ssentcilaals siens tcohnitsi nuuwme ret hea ristocarnadtc hye
bourgeoitshieie d:l dee,c adednets cendanotfts h ef eudoarld eorf
Germanciocn queroarndst ,h ep roductiinvneo,v atainvde ,v irtuous.
A weaknoefcs osue r,isn tthheiowsra yts h lei bevriarltsu'a l
refu-seaxlc eapmto ng mtohrereia rd ieclaelm -etnoat p pre­
ciatthepe o sirtoilvee pblyta hypeeo dp ular wimtahsosuets
whosien terv(eantsth iaeou nt hionrs itshtbeso )u rgaenodi s
libearrails-tocraticco urlendvo otl uhrtaeiavoleni azreide st heir
goaIltwsa .sa w eaknheesa sdd,ts h,wa atls a tsehra rbeytd h e
'revisciroiontfii scs'tt sh'oe ic nitaelr p(rwehtaoetl,r e sai'snt t h is