The Objectives of French and American Revolutions - Essay Example

Revolutions have acted as turning points in which the social and the political orders shift from old oppressive systems to new suitable and satisfying ones. Mass actions in rebelling against despotic structures and systems were witnessed in Europe and beyond; citizens rose up together to overthrow unpopular tyrannical regimes leading to a complete transformation.

U.S and France are among the countries that witnessed remarkable revolutions. As indicated, revolutions can be generated and developed based on social or political grounds or both. The question that has puzzled many is the nature of the revolutions that occurred in America and France; whether they were social or political revolutions. The question is, was the American Revolution a political revolution? What about the French revolution, was it a social revolution? This paper aims at assessing evidence to prove that indeed the American Revolution was a political one while France, on the other hand, experienced a social revolution.

While there are many similarities between the two revolutions, what stands out is that American upheaval was politically driven, unlike the French one that saw an uprising in response to inadequate social order and stability (Editorial Notes, 1959). One thing that distinctly justifies the American Revolution as politically instigated was government instability at that time. The gravity with which demonstrations were organized to overthrow the British regime justifiably attributes this revolution to political causes. The American colonialists sought to scrap the British oppressive systems that levied high taxes on the citizenry. 1776 was the year when Americans said enough was enough for political oppression leading to the transformation of political structures in the country.

The French Revolution, however, was primarily based on poor social structures and systems. Although it had shreds of political motives, the prime reason for effecting change was to revolutionize the existing social order (Cogliano, 2010). France’s social stratification in three distinct estates brought up feuds. The larger estates that comprised a large population enjoyed extremely limited prestige and had restricted access to social resources and amenities. This was the reason behind the uprising. It was in this response that an uprising was crafted in an attempt to counter-neutralize the oppression that was centered on social classifications. The revolution saw the middle class, who before the revolution had little dominance, rise up to superiority in terms of leadership and power (Lucas, 1973).

Conclusion
American and French revolutions were politically and socially initiated, respectively. The social and political agendas that were being sought were ultimately achieved. America achieved its political dominance while France neutralized the social classification that oppressed the citizens. However, it is critical to note that other factors as well played part in these revolutions although the core causes were the respective political and social reasons. Read More