Social revolution facts for kids

Social revolutions are big, sudden changes in how a society is set up. These changes affect more than just the government. They can transform a society's economy, culture, ideas, and even technology.

What Are Social Revolutions?

A researcher named Theda Skocpol studied social revolutions. She described them as a mix of huge changes to society's structure and big movements involving many different groups of people.

She combined ideas from other thinkers. For example, Samuel P. Huntington said a revolution is a fast, major, and often violent change in a society's main beliefs, government, and social setup. Vladimir Lenin called revolutions "festivals of the oppressed," where people create a new social order.

Not all revolutions fit this strong definition. Some changes might be important but not as widespread or deep as a social revolution.

How Some Revolutions Are Prevented

Sometimes, certain things can stop a revolution from happening. For example, many historians believe that the rise of Methodism in Great Britain helped prevent a revolution there.

John Wesley and his Methodist followers did more than just preach. They helped people who were in prison, poor, or elderly. They built hospitals and clinics that offered free healthcare.

A sociologist named William H. Swatos said that Methodism helped people take control of their lives. It gave them a sense of security and helped them develop new ideas. Methodists also avoided gambling and practiced temperance (avoiding alcohol). This helped them save money and improve their lives.

People who went to Methodist churches and Sunday schools learned skills and values. They used these skills to help working-class people in peaceful ways, not through revolution. The Methodist Church helped fill a social and idea-based need in English society. It created ways for people to improve their lives and move up in society. This helped stop society from splitting into very strict social classes.

Historian Bernard Semmel said Methodism was a movement against revolution. It succeeded because it was a different kind of revolution, one that brought about big social change peacefully.

Different Ideas About Revolutions

Many thinkers have different ideas about why revolutions happen.

Psychological Reasons

Some theories focus on how people feel. For example, Ted Robert Gurr suggested that violence, including revolutions, can happen when people feel angry. This anger comes from not being able to get or do the things they value. This feeling is called relative deprivation.

Political Power Struggles

Other theories look at political conflicts. Charles Tilly believed that different groups in society compete for political power. If one group's access to resources or power changes a lot, it could lead to a revolution.

Breakdown of Shared Values

Chalmers Johnson had a theory based on a society's values. He said that a society works well when everyone agrees on certain values and rules. These values help make the government seem fair and right. Johnson argued that a revolution happens when these shared values break down.

Class Struggles

Marxist theories are also useful for understanding revolutions. They often focus on the struggles between different social classes. However, some critics say these theories don't fully explain *when* revolutions will or won't happen. They might not consider the role of the government's organization enough.

Theda Skocpol believes that while these theories can help, it's hard to know which one is completely true. She thinks that comparing different historical events, using ideas from sociology, is a good way to understand revolutions.

See also

In Spanish: Revolución social para niños