The First European Revolution 1776-1815

by Norman Hampson, Geoffrey Barraclough (Editor)

The period that separates the War of American Independence from the defeat of Napoleon has been studied by generations of historians with remarkable erudition and a no less remarkable inclination to disagree with each other's views. Contents Include:
Preface
I. The Intellectual Climate
II. The Political and Social Environment
III. The French Revolution and the European Reaction
IV. The Indian Summer of Enlightened Despotism
V. The Victory of Reaction

Genres: History, Nonfiction

216 pages, paper

First published September 29, 1969

About the author

Norman Hampson was the Professor of History at the University of York from 1974 to 1989 and fellow of the British Academy in 1980. He specialised in the French Revolution and European Enlightenment. During the Second World War Hampson's service in the Royal Navy included two years as liaison officer with the Free French Navy.

Reviews

[Nick · Rating 2 out of 5]

this book smells of high school angst and wet hair

[John E · Rating 4 out of 5]

Excellent short study of the ideologies of the Enlightenment, the French Revolution, and the Reactionaries following the Revolution. Not a history of the Revolution, but of the thoughts leading up to the Revolution, during the Revolution, and the ideas following Napoleon.

[Walt · Rating 2 out of 5]

This was an interesting mass-market overview of philosophy and the French Revolution. The chapters and subsections are short, and the text is richly illustrated. When discussing politics and history Hampson performs admirably in discussing major currents, especially the reaction of other nations to the Revolution. He nicely shows Napoleon's transition from egalitarian towards a more balanced approach between his earlier radicalism and the ancien regime. However, the crux of the book is the philosophy; and this is where Hampson is weakest in communicating with the reader.

The first chapter tries to discuss major philosophers of the time, Rousseau, Diderot, and Montesquieu. In trying to summarize their philosophies and their attractiveness to both the urban class and the urban poor, Hampson confuses the reader. Even readers with a basic understanding of Montesquieu's views on social hierarchy and Rousseau's views on individualism will be confused. As the book progresses, Hampson goes back and forth between historical events and philosophical influences. In order to have any understanding, the reader must first be familiar with the French Revolution beyond the basic introduction. Otherwise, discussion on the Terror, Directory, or even Robespierre are vague and not put into a historical context.

Hampson tries to fit the work into the style of the Library of World Civilization series with brief passages, illustrations, social-political thought, and basic overview; but in this case, the casual reader will be left in a daze without the ability to fully appreciate the bursts of information hurled at him. A week after reading this book, I am still trying to imagine a "metaphysical Jacobin," and what one of them is doing in Prussia.

[Don Heiman · Rating 5 out of 5]

This wonderful book provides a context for understanding the strategic events that emanated from the French Revolution, Napoleonic wars, and rise of German thought. The book provides a perspective on how Burke, Locke, Rousseau, and Kant influenced the sign of our times in the 21st century.