The French Empire Between the Wars: Imperialism, Politics and Society Book

Completely changed my understanding of the French Revolution. It was a revolution against the evolution of capitalism where it was not the poor against the rich but instead the new meritocratic middle and upper class taking the reins of power against the nobles. Only in the most extreme parts of the revolution were reforms made for the poor such as laws that redistributed large land tracts in the countryside. Yet, even these did not come into effect because the rich landowners held out long enough to reverse these proposals. In the end, there was only a change in power from aristocrats to meritocrats. The new meritocrats were harsher than the aristocrats because at least the meritocrats were marked by traditions and customs which showed much grace to the poor. We have an eerie similarity in the transfer of power that took place in the United States. Those who took power show contempt more for the poor than there has ever been because these meritocrats have no commitment to the American community or God. Nor do they follow the customs and traditions of their forefathers which shows grace for the poor in every sense. Noblesse oblige died with the French Revolution and it has already died in the United States too in a spiritual revolution that has led to economic, social, and spiritual stagnation. A great book. You will unlearn whatever positive thought you had of the French Revolution and learn that it was worse than you ever thought possible. Fin.