A French aristocratic catechism of 1791 answered the question “What is a revolution?” as follows: “It is the insurrection of those who have nothing against those who have something, and the rebellion of subjects against the King” (“C’est l’insurrection de ceux qui n’ont rien contre ceux qui ont quelque chose, et les rébellions des sujets contre le Roi”) [1. 11]. No, retorted a republican catechism: “It is the insurrection of the People against thei…