| T O P I C R E V I E W |
| Dark Woods |
Posted - April 26 2006 : 11:13:58 PM
A new retelling of the Marie Antoinette story is due to be released this fall. I see a link from LOTM events to those in France decades later.
In my opinion, the French and Indian War was a key factor leading to the French Revolution. F&I War debt causes higher taxes in British American Colonies, leading to the Revolutionary War in America. French help Americans win the Revolutionary War. The debt from this assistance causes higher taxes in France, leading to the French Revolution.
Do you agree or disagree? Comments? |
| 3 L A T E S T R E P L I E S (Newest First) |
| Bill R |
Posted - April 29 2006 : 6:13:09 PM
Thanks! I had a further thought, also. The aftermaths of the two revolutions could be said to derive from the differences between the two motivations. Here, there was no beheading, no "cleansing" of the country. We fought, won, established our own nation and wanted to maintain trade and close ties with England. England burned over being thrown out, but that's all that happened. They were thrown out. Because we were motivated by self reliance and a new identity there was no violent bloody aftermath here.
In France, different motivations. Theirs wasn't motivated by self reliance and unlimited opportunities coupled with a new identity.
Their's was motivated by hatred of the pronounced class difference, the close quarters with poor/nobility and King accentuating the differences and the oppressions, and a nation over populated and with limited opportunities in country. They weren't so much motivated by hope, as by hopelessness and had all the bitterness and hatred that foments. Hence, lotta blood and beheadings and excesses after the revolution was "won" and King deposed. Soon, they were feeding on themselves. |
| Dark Woods |
Posted - April 27 2006 : 11:40:32 PM
Bill,
Thank you for your insights. They are exactly the broadening of the subject that I enjoy.
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| Bill R |
Posted - April 26 2006 : 11:26:22 PM
It's a bit simplistic, but I'd agree. Of course, there was much more to both revolutions than taxes. We'd been on the continent long enough to have developed an identity of our own, and developed a sense that WE and WE alone were responsible for our lives, station in life, etc as comes from a land with unlimited opportunities limited only by one's inate abilities and work ethic. The French were in much closer contact with their royalty and felt the sting of the class difference much more visibly and painfully. "Look, there's the King!" "How do you know he's the king?" "Well it's obvious, isn't it? He's not all covered in sh*t" (paraphrased from Monty Python) |
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