Revolutionary wave facts for kids

A revolutionary wave is when many revolutions happen in different places around the same time. Think of it like a series of big changes that spread from one country to another. Sometimes, one revolution inspires others to start. People like Robert Roswell Palmer and Hannah Arendt have studied why these waves happen.

What is a Revolutionary Wave?

A revolutionary wave is a period when several major changes or uprisings happen in different parts of the world. These events often share similar goals or ideas. For example, people might be fighting for more freedom, a new type of government, or better living conditions.

Historians and thinkers have looked at how these waves start and spread. They try to understand what causes so many big changes to happen close together.

Types of Revolutions

There are different ways to think about revolutions. One expert, Mark N. Katz, described six types:

• Rural revolution: Changes that start in the countryside.
• Urban revolution: Changes that begin in cities.
• Coup d'état: When a small group, often the military, quickly takes control of the government. An example is the 1952 Egyptian Revolution.
• Revolution from above: When leaders make big changes from the top, like Mao's Great Leap Forward in China in 1958.
• Revolution from without: When outside forces, like another country's army, cause a change in government. This happened when Allied forces invaded Italy in 1944 and Germany in 1945.
• Revolution by osmosis: Gradual changes that happen slowly over time, like the spread of Islamization in some countries.

Sometimes, a single revolution can be a mix of these types. For instance, the Russian Revolution of 1917 started in cities, then involved rural areas, and finally ended with the Bolshevik group taking power.

Revolutions can also be grouped by how they spread:

• Central revolutions: These happen in powerful countries and often lead the way for a wave. The USSR was a central country for communist revolutions.
• Aspiring revolutions: These follow a central revolution, trying to achieve similar goals.
• Subordinate revolutions: These are often supported or controlled by a central revolutionary country.
• Rival revolutions: These happen when different groups with similar goals compete for power, like communist Yugoslavia and China after 1969.

Revolutions can also be described as being against something (like against kings or dictators) or for something (like for liberalism or communism).

When Did Revolutionary Waves Happen?

Historians don't always agree on the exact start and end dates of every revolutionary wave. They also debate how similar the ideas behind different events need to be to count as one wave.

Before the 19th Century

• Ancient Republics: Around 500 BCE, there were moves to create republics (governments without kings) in places like Rome and Athens.
• Religious Changes: The Second Reformation (1566–1609) saw religious uprisings, especially in the Netherlands and France.
• Atlantic Revolutions: In the late 1700s, a wave of revolutions swept across the Atlantic. This included the American Revolution (1776), the French Revolution (1789), and the Haitian Revolution (1791). These revolutions often fought for freedom and new forms of government.

19th Century Waves

The Revolutions of 1848 spread across Europe, with people demanding more rights and changes in government.

• Latin American Independence: From 1810 to 1826, many countries in Latin America fought for independence from Spain. They were inspired by the American and French Revolutions.
• Revolutions of 1820 and 1830: These waves saw uprisings in places like Spain, Greece, France, and Belgium, often demanding more liberal governments.
• Revolutions of 1848: A huge wave of revolutions spread across Europe. People wanted more rights, democratic governments, and an end to old systems. The French Revolution of 1848 kicked off this wave.

20th Century Waves

Protests against the Vietnam War in Vienna, Austria, 1968. Youth movements worldwide supported various causes.

• Early 20th Century Revolutions (1905–1911): After the Russo-Japanese War, countries like Russia, Persia, and China saw revolutions. People wanted more modern governments and an end to old traditions.
• Post-World War I Revolutions (1917–1923): After World War I, many empires collapsed. This led to the Russian Revolution and the rise of communist ideas. New countries like Yugoslavia and Czechoslovakia were formed. There were also nationalist movements, like the Indian independence movement led by Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi.
• Fascist Wave (1922–1945): This wave began in Italy and included the rise of fascist governments in Germany and Japan, leading up to and during World War II.
• Decolonization of Africa: In the mid-20th century, many African countries fought for independence from European colonial rule. This wave peaked in the 1970s.
• Arab Nationalist Movement: From the 1950s to 1960s, many Arab countries saw revolutions aimed at creating unified Arab states. Egypt, led by Gamal Abdel Nasser, was a key inspiration.
• Eastern Bloc Upheavals (1956): After Soviet leader Nikita Khrushchev criticized Stalin, there were protests and uprisings in Eastern European countries like Poland and Hungary.
• Civil Rights and Black Power Movements: In the 1960s, movements in the United States and other countries fought against discrimination and for equal rights for African Americans.
• Protests of 1968: Youth movements around the world protested against the U.S. involvement in the Vietnam War and other issues. This included the Prague Spring in Czechoslovakia and protests in France.
• Religious Fundamentalist Revolutions (1977-1987): This period saw a rise in religious movements leading to political changes, such as the Iranian revolution in 1979.
• Revolutions of 1989 and Soviet Collapse: This wave ended the communist era in Eastern Europe and led to the dissolution of the Soviet Union by 1991. Many countries gained independence, and communism was abandoned in others.

21st Century Waves

• Colour Revolutions (early 2000s): These were peaceful protests in former Soviet countries and the Balkans that led to changes in government.
• Arab Spring (2009–2014): A series of major protests and uprisings swept across the Arab world, demanding democracy and better living conditions.
• Global Protests (2019–2020): A recent wave of protests happened worldwide, including in Hong Kong, Chile, and the Yellow Vests Movement in Europe. These protests often focused on issues like corruption, inequality, and democratic rights.

See also