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The Sans-Culottes
A phenomenon of the pre-industrial age, the Sans-Culottes--master craftsmen, shopkeepers, small merchants, domestic servants--were as hostile to the ideas of capitalist bourgeoisie as they were to those of the ancien regime which was overthrown in the first years of the Revolution. Here is a detailed portrait of who these people were and a sympathetic account of their moment in history.
279 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1962
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Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
February 5, 2018
To put it simply, this book is a classic. It is a bit outdated as Soboul's conclusions on the sans-culottes socioeconomic status is flawed. (Look at Richard Andrews response to this book) However, it is still noteworthy in it's detail of the radical group.
May 9, 2019
Wer näher sich mit den Sansculotten näher beschäftigen will, kommt an diesem Buch nicht vorbei!
September 10, 2024
Soboul analyzes the sans-culottes, a term for the political movement compromised of urban laborers, artisans, and shopkeepers who represented the most radical branch of political thought and action during the French Revolution.
Soboul argues that the sans-culottes were crucial to the victory of the wealthy bourgeoisie in their battle against the ancien regime, but that the sans-culottes were eventually sidelined themselves when their aspirations conflicted with the class interests of the bourgeoisie.
He posits that the sans-culottes were divided internally between what would later become the industrial proletariat - laborers, wage workers, etc. - and the small business owners, whose interests occasionally diverged.
As other commenters have said, some historical research here is a bit outdated. Soboul assumes that the reader has basic knowledge of the events and factions of the French Revolution. If you don't know the difference between Girondins and Montagnards, you should read an overview of the French Revolution before tackling this. A basic understanding of Marxist analysis is helpful, but not required.
Soboul relies heavily on primary sources, such as period era newspapers and meeting minutes, which are an interesting glimpse into the lives and thoughts of those in the 1790s.
Soboul argues that the sans-culottes were crucial to the victory of the wealthy bourgeoisie in their battle against the ancien regime, but that the sans-culottes were eventually sidelined themselves when their aspirations conflicted with the class interests of the bourgeoisie.
He posits that the sans-culottes were divided internally between what would later become the industrial proletariat - laborers, wage workers, etc. - and the small business owners, whose interests occasionally diverged.
As other commenters have said, some historical research here is a bit outdated. Soboul assumes that the reader has basic knowledge of the events and factions of the French Revolution. If you don't know the difference between Girondins and Montagnards, you should read an overview of the French Revolution before tackling this. A basic understanding of Marxist analysis is helpful, but not required.
Soboul relies heavily on primary sources, such as period era newspapers and meeting minutes, which are an interesting glimpse into the lives and thoughts of those in the 1790s.
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews