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French Revolution (1789)
(3,355 words)

1. Introduction

The French Revolution (1789-1799) grew out of a concurrence of the gradual loss of legitimacy suffered by the old society of the estates and the monarchy as a result of Enlightenment criticisms, a subversive “political pornography” [18] and the elites' hostility to reform [23], the crisis in the textile industry and a steep rise in the price of bread (Food riots). Because of the unprecedented natu…

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Reichardt, Rolf, “French Revolution (1789)”, in: Encyclopedia of Early Modern History Online, Editors of the English edition: Graeme Dunphy, Andrew Gow. Original German Edition: Enzyklopädie der Neuzeit. Im Auftrag des Kulturwissenschaftlichen Instituts (Essen) und in Verbindung mit den Fachherausgebern herausgegeben von Friedrich Jaeger. Copyright © J.B. Metzlersche Verlagsbuchhandlung und Carl Ernst Poeschel Verlag GmbH 2005–2012. Consulted online on 19 March 2024 <http://dx.doi.org/10.1163/2352-0272_emho_COM_019350>
First published online: 2015
First print edition: 20180214



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