authoritarianism in bourgeois revolutions

[Admiral Swagmeister G-Funk]

Has anything been written on this notion, which contradict the idea that bourgeois revolutions were achieved through "liberalism" and liberal ideas about freedom?

[DDR]

Robespierre's Virtue and Terror would be a good one, I belive there's some edition even with a Zizek foreword.

[goalkeeper]

There's a book Liberty's Exiles which focuses on the counter-revolutionaries in the American Revolution. It depends which revolution you are talking about though. Theres a mass of literature on the 'authoritarianism' of the Jacobin era in the French Revolution. Arno Meyer's The Furies may be worth looking at, as it looks specifically at violence in the French Revolution. TBH though, I don't think your question makes sense; the bourgeois revolutions promoted the ideas of freedom and ideas of what became known as liberalism, of course, while being authoritarian by nature of being a forceful seizure of power by arms. I don't think anyone would deny that really. The question makes more sense when applied to more recent 'revolutions' such as the end of Aparthied in South Africa or the Tunisian and Egyptian revolutions of 2010 and 2011 respectively, which are mythologized as being 'un-authoritarian' and achieved without violence (which isn't exactly true)

[Art Vandelay]

Not sure if it is what you are looking for, but I found Robespierre:A Revolutionary Life, by Peter McPhee to be a solid read. Definitely remember some bloody scenes described in it. I think any book on bourgeois revolutions, would probably have a fair amount of info that you are looking for. The whole notion of capitalism being ushered in on the wings of prosperity and freedom is a pretty common misconception, which is refuted by practically most things written about said revolutions.

[Admiral Swagmeister G-Funk]

true, just looking for decent quotes really as my girlfriend is doing an essay and drawing comparisons between russian industrialization and industrialization in other revolutions. namely british as its what we're most knowledgeable on.