The French Revolution by The History Channel

[R_P_A_S]

I just got done watching the french revolution. an hour and half portrait of what happened.
according to historians. Has any of you seen this? I have to say I never actually really read about it in any book.
I briefly read some passages on the internet and some of the stuff people said on here about the Paris Commune and basically people here seem to have a good opinons on it.

I have heard claims that it was the closest we ever came to real socialism... However The History Channel fails to point that out, or fails to focus on this events. I feel they concentrated way more on the violences and the blood that was shared and on The Royals.
I don't know.. But all I know is that after watching this thing any person that has no knowledge on socialism and true democracy and freedom they will just walk away thinking that revolution is evil and bad for people.. I think it was a very shitty documentary.. :(

[Gura]

I haven't seen it, but it's not surprising coming from the History Channel. They usually take a pretty right-wing (or pro-American, depending on the time period) historical view.

I am surprised they had a program that was about something other than World War II or the American Civil War, though.

[R_P_A_S]

Originally posted by [email protected] 02, 2006 06:43 am
I haven't seen it, but it's not surprising coming from the History Channel. They usually take a pretty right-wing (or pro-American, depending on the time period) historical view.

I am surprised they had a program that was about something other than World War II or the American Civil War, though.
I mean they did focus a lot on how The King and Queen lived this luxurious life and spend tons of money overseas in the new world and mean while the entiere people of Paris were starving, there was a shortages of food, thef was on rise and taxes were high! all this fuel the people to raise up. but they focused more on how they where this blood thirsting animals. there was no mention of the commune, socialism and of any type of brief democracy in paris. Just talked about how disfunctional they were and how Napoleon came and restored order to the republic? I dont know it was very rushed towards the end... I didnt get shit out of it. Like I said anyone who watches this will be convinced that revolution only leaves chaos and dead innocent people.

[BreadBros]

Cant speak to the documentary, haven't seen it. The French Revolution of 1789 didnt have much to do with socialism or communism. It was the bourgeois revolution. The revolution is among the most historically significant because it is one of the clearest modern day examples of one economic class overthrowing another and taking over society. The bourgeoisie along with the proletariat overthrew the aristocracy, capitalism overthrew feudalism, liberalism overthrew traditionalism. It was a defining moment in human history and it was in many ways one of the events that makes the class nature of history most apparent. In the revolution both the bourgeoisie and proletariat were progressive forces, and the in certain places the proletariat managed to take control for itself, which resulted in what is referred to as the Paris Commune. Marx and Engels use it as an example of the potential for the proletariat to overthrow the bourgeoisie, but the overall arc of the French revolution has very little to do with the tangible goals of communism or socialism.

[R_P_A_S]

I'm just going to read the book. Books are way better. but Im an impatient kind of guy. so i hate how long it can take me!

[Sadena Meti]

Try "The French Revolution" by Thomas Carlyle. It's a classic.

[shadowed by the secret police]

Originally posted by [email protected] 02, 2006 06:19 am
I just got done watching the french revolution. an hour and half portrait of what happened.
according to historians. Has any of you seen this? I have to say I never actually really read about it in any book.
I briefly read some passages on the internet and some of the stuff people said on here about the Paris Commune and basically people here seem to have a good opinons on it.

I have heard claims that it was the closest we ever came to real socialism... However The History Channel fails to point that out, or fails to focus on this events. I feel they concentrated way more on the violences and the blood that was shared and on The Royals.
I don't know.. But all I know is that after watching this thing any person that has no knowledge on socialism and true democracy and freedom they will just walk away thinking that revolution is evil and bad for people.. I think it was a very shitty documentary.. :(
I don't see why you should be dissapointed. In the beginning of the documentary one of the historians says, "The French revolution is the most important event in Western history. There are developments that can rival it, like capitalism, like the industrial revolution. But if you mean an event I can't think of anything more important." Marxist-Anarchist has posted some links where you can see the French Revolution on the internet for free.

http://www.revolutionaryleft.com/index.php?showtopic=57275

[shadowed by the secret police]

I just wanted to add for the record that the French Revolution happened during 1789-1799. The Paris Commune was in 1871 or so. Marx wrote on the Paris Commune in his book the Civil War in France.

The Paris Commune was the first sign anywhere in the world (I think) of the proletariat revolution, where the workers were going to take their destiny into their own hands and overthrow capitalism and the bourgeoisie.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paris_commune

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/French_revolution