法國大革命：從革命前夕到拿破崙崛起 La Revolution francaise

by Georges Lefebvre, 顧良 (Translator), 孟湄 (Translator)

革命以及革命之後

　　十八世紀最後十年，發生在法國的這場革命，可說是西方世界近代歷史的關鍵點之一。自由主義、共和主義、女性主義、廢奴、去基督教化等等現代概念，如果不是法國大革命發明的、就是受到其強力影響與推廣。這場革命可不是發生在西方世界的角落邊陲、一個神祕落後或正在消亡中的國度，而是爆發在世界強權之一，其經濟實力、軍事力量、文化魅力等，當時可謂無人出其左右。事實上，歷經這場革命所建立的新政體——共和國與拿破崙帝國——曾經一度向外擴張，深深地打亂(有時候是重塑)歐洲與大西洋世界的政體，無一倖免。
　　
　　爭辯1789年為什麼會出現這場異常事件的起源問題，沒有比它更讓人困惑、不解的。為什麼是法國首先爆發如此巨大的動亂？是因為遭受經濟損失嗎？或者不同的社會群體彼此之間出現了不公平的感受與忌妒嗎？它的來臨是由於出現了激動人心的新的意識形態或中央政府權威的崩解或極少數狂熱者的陰謀？就像羅馬的衰亡與資本主義的興起，有關法國大革命起源的爭論一次又一次，每個世代也都產生了各種解釋與卓越的觀點。更確切地說，如何理解這場革命及其起源和國家的認同有著強烈的關係，許多法國文人被迫必須面對此課題並且在當時也寫下長篇談論他們國家的過去---歷史根源！
　　
　　直到十九世紀末，法國大革命的歷史才變成學術的訓練。第一個專心致力於此主題研究的學者觀點出現在1881年，十年後，巴黎大學設置了大革命的講座。此後，名單一長串的出色法國專家直接以此為主題書寫，數以千計的文獻經過細心研究、幾乎遍及革命當中各式各樣的經歷，不只是首都巴黎，也包括遍佈這個國家數以百計的地區與城鎮。即使有這麼龐大的累積與新知，大革命何以爆發的問題依然未解。
　　
　　在一批一批優秀的歷史學家長期對法國大革命起源的研究中，以喬治‧費勒弗爾取得的成果最為豐碩！喬治‧費勒弗爾的一生歷經法國第三共和整個時期與第四共和，他1874年誕生在靠近比利時邊境的工業城市里耳。他在學校得到的科學、數學與現代語言等等方面的訓練，這不同於法國傳統菁英注重的哲學與古典文學。當他後來混進法國知識菁英圈後，他當初在學校受的訓練也讓他比其他人更能參考當時法國之外的學術出版品，以及應用社會科學與統計在歷史研究中。

重要事件

　　在法西斯威脅與槍砲下，費勒弗爾書寫關於法國大革命的研究正是為了宣揚大革命的價值:自由。

本書特色

　　1.不只是經典，本書自從1951年出版以來就是關於法國大革命的研究典範。
　　2.作者全面地考察法國大革命爆發的遠因與導火線、法國國內外各方的反應、對十八世紀晚期法國的經濟、社會、文化等方面深入審視。
　　3.作者提出了作為具備獨立行動性質的法國農民，集體心理(陰謀論、恐慌、謠言)
　　4.從稅務清冊、公證人紀錄、鄉村當局登記簿等等檔案文獻，運用統計方法與農民的角度審視大革命。

Genres: History, Nonfiction, French Revolution

704 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1951

About the author

Georges Lefebvre was a French historian, best known for his work on the French Revolution and peasant life.

Reviews

[Hermano · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the classic work on the French Revolution, but this book is not for the novice or faint of heart. You should only read this after a BA in Modern European History.

[Erik Graff · Rating 5 out of 5]

I bought this two volume set while still in high school from The History Book Club, but didn't get around to reading it until finishing R.R. Palmer's Age of Democratic Revolutions long afterwards.

Lefebvre's is the history of the French Revolution to read. Everyone dealing with the subject since him has to deal with him and his Marxist analysis of the events leading up to the events of 1789-99. The book is rather dry, but his arguments appear very well grounded.

[A · Rating 4 out of 5]

Only finished Volume 1 and may or may not get to Volume 2. Great, but..... a bit too scholarly for me i guess, as the author constantly throws out names or groups without explanation (and me in the dark). Usually one learns from context and is thereby edified, but not always- sometimes it is just confusing. Having said that, the ground is very well covered. I have been dipping into a few other popular histories of the revolution for context and support and find them too casual- deepening my appreciation of the Lefebvre volume. Was a bit hard to get into, as we are graced with maybe 100 pages (???) of financial background to the revolution. Yes, one supposes that was important, but... it isn't really carried forward, so looking back it seems a bit narrow and unbalanced to overweight that so much.

[Rob Markley · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was reading volume two in 1999 and after the first volume the year before. Actually the main problem was that I don't have a good enough handle on what was going on. Everything far too confusing but I appreciated Lefebvre's penetrating analysis

[Snævar Hreinsson · Rating 3 out of 5]

Impressive work of great scholarship. Your interest in history better match your love for good prose if you intend to get through this book unscaithed.