Origins of the French Revolution [Paperback]

William Doyle (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: July 8, 1999 | ISBN-10: 0198731744 | ISBN-13: 978-0198731740 | Edition: 3

First published in 1980, this book rapidly established itself as the indispensable guide for those seeking to learn what broughgt about the French Revolution--as well as those wanting to track the many debates had by historians on this issue. This new edition brings the subject up-to-date with an extensively rewritten survey of the historiography of the Revolution as it stands today, alongside a revised interpretation of this era that fully reflects the most current research. The book remains a vital starting point for anyone planning to seriously explore the greatest of all revolutions.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"An excellent introduction to the Revolution."--E. McKinley, Asbury College

Praise for the first edition: "Required reading for all undergraduate and graduate students studying the French Revolution."--Choice

"From time to time a specialist succeeds in blending the many books and articles in his field in a synthesis worthwhile for any historian or any educated reader. William Doyle has done this in a brief, clear, and thoughtful book."--Journal of Modern History

"The book is well conceived and refreshing, and demonstrates Doyle's mastery of both older and more recent scholarship....An impressive piece of historical writing and an important contribution to French revolutionary scholarship."--The Historian

"His work will become a standard synthesis of recent scholarship on the causes of the Revolution."--Eighteenth-Century Studies

--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

About the Author

William Doyle is at University of Bristol.

Product Details

• Paperback: 248 pages
• Publisher: Oxford University Press, USA; 3 edition (July 8, 1999)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0198731744
• ISBN-13: 978-0198731740
• Product Dimensions: 8.3 x 5.4 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.4 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #578,099 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

20 of 20 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Origins of the French Revolution, September 12, 2000

By 

Grace Lim (Oxford, GA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Origins of the French Revolution (Paperback)

Origins of the French Revolution is a comprehensive review of the corrupted and doomed Bourbon regime. It is rich in detail and facts about the reigns of Louis XIV through Louis XVI. The book is divided into three parts: Writings on Revolutionary Origins Since 1939, The Breakdown of the Old Regime, and The Struggle for Power. And in each of these sections important chapters are introduced for discussion. Doyle takes the three sectors of society during that time--the nobility, clergy, and bourgeoise--and analyzes their individual roles in bringing the revolution about. Both the good and bad sides of these sectors of society is clearly revealed and their strengths and weaknesses also. Doyle covers the posiiton of the nobility especially well. He offers an interesting view on the nobility that is usually not seen in other books discussing the French Revolution. The other sections of this book is great in detail also, such as the chapters discussing the government organization and the ministers who tried to implement reform. The book is somewhat difficult to understand because of the wealth of detail within it, but one can clearly say that without drastic reform the French government was hopeless. Overall it was a dry read but for people who are interested in the details of the revolution this will be a great read.

20 of 20 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Brisk, analytical and direct, January 10, 2001

By 

Cyrus Bozorgmehr (London. England) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Origins of the French Revolution (Paperback)

There is of course a daunting amount of literature on the French Revoloution which often means that first-time students are often faced with a lottery concerning the book they choose. This book has no pretentions whatsoever to being all encompassing or a psycho-sociological analysis of the revoloution itself. Dealing with the pre 1789 period it is an admirably clear re-examination of the fall of the ancient regime. Comprehensively written and free of academic snobbery it charts the relaxation of rigid absoloutism and the development both of coherent political opposition and a relevant public opinion, both concepts that were unheard of in the archetypal monarchy of Loius XIV. Seditious pamphlets that had traditionally been confined to exile in the Netherlands found their way back into France and criticism of the establishment grew in a crescendo: the street and the parlements echoing one another and feeding in confidence off of one another. Doyle thus lands us in the years immediately prior to 1789 and guides us through the domino series of economic ministers, victims of the sustained, and now infamous financial crisis that so relentlessly exposed the dire infrastructure of French government. Finally we are presented with a synopsis of events that led to the walls of the Bastille and a conclusion: all in all less than 200 pages. This is a very businesslike book with no room for sentiment, philosophy or lyricism but in its digestible form, leaves the reader clear on the major points, a task many other histories have failed in. Reccomended for anyone looking for a clear explanation for the end of the ancien regime.

13 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars quite an impressive overview of the origins..., May 25, 2005

By 

Matthew Watt (TX) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Origins of the French Revolution (Paperback)

I am impressed with the scope and depth that William Doyle put into the Origins of the French Revolution. It is sometimes difficult and grueling to read, but Origins of the French Revolution is well worth it if you are a history buff or like anything pertaining to the French.

William Doyle begins his journey through the origins of the French Revolution by explaining the different points of view on it. He explains the classic theories, the revisionist way of thinking, and finally the post-revisionist way of thinking. By giving the reader each theory on the origins of the French Revolution, he allows the reader to develop an open frame of mind when continuing on to part two of his book.

Part two discusses the financial and political problems the French experience throughout the course of their history, beginning with Louis XIV and ending with Louis XVI. He explains the downfalls the French have financially and politically. It's interesting to think that France had much less debt than England and the Dutch Republic at the time, but they couldn't handle it because of their financial and political problems (which are too numerous to explain now). In part two William Doyle also explains the changes in the public opinion, due mainly to the Renaissance and writers like Jean-Jacques Rousseau.

Lastly, in part three William Doyle explores the different classes in French society, along with the economic and election problems pushing France toward a revolution.

There were two main elements that I enjoyed most about William Doyle and his Origins of the French Revolution. Firstly, he didn't try to name the one person that brought the downfall of the French and led them to a revolution. Secondly, he also compiled all of the problems with the French during the years prior to the revolution, without focusing on one problem that could be thought of as the sole cause. Instead, leaving these two aspects out of his book, he allows the reader to make up his or her own mind on the topic, possibly spurring a new theory in the future.

I congratulate William Doyle on this immense piece of history, and would recommend it to anyone interested in the topic. Everyone enjoy!