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The Great Revolutions of Modern History
Survey some of the most important revolutions from the past 300 years of world history.
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Published January 1, 2021
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Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews
September 13, 2021
A lot of these are just not what I was looking for- "counterculture revolution," the "TV revolution," etc. The ones that are ACTUAL revolutions are good, but the depth is necessarily limited. A good start.
March 11, 2022
Interesting overview over various revolutions across the world over the past several centuries. The depth to which each of these is explored is by necessity limited, but there's enough to spark an interest in learning more. Hartnett at times interprets her overarching topic rather... creatively, shall we say. "TV revolution"? Well, okay then... interesting lecture, though not quite what one might expect.
May 14, 2022
Covers a lot of ground! Her definition of revolution is broad.
May 1, 2026
"The Great Revolutions of Modern History", part of the Great Courses series taught by Professor Lynne Ann Hartnett, sets out to survey major revolutions from the Glorious Revolution in England to more contemporary upheavals. Drawing on Hartnett’s expertise in Russian history, the course aims to provide a broad introduction to how revolutions have shaped the modern world.
As a survey, the course succeeds in covering a wide range of events and offering accessible narrative accounts of the conditions leading up to various revolutions, along with some attention to their immediate aftermaths. However, this breadth comes at the expense of depth. The treatment of individual revolutions often feels too shallow, with limited analysis of what distinguishes each case or why certain movements succeeded while others failed. The absence of a strong analytical framework or concluding synthesis leaves the material feeling fragmented rather than cohesive.
A recurring theme throughout the course is a generally pessimistic view of revolutionary change. While many revolutions succeed in dismantling existing regimes, they frequently fall short of realizing their ideological ambitions, and some fail outright. The implicit takeaway is that revolution should be regarded as a last resort, given the uncertainty and risks that accompany such transformative efforts.
The course begins with a definition of revolution as the pursuit of social goals through actions outside the bounds of existing law. Yet this definition is not consistently upheld. Some cases presented, such as the so-called “TV revolution,” do not clearly involve illegal action. More complex examples, such as the dissolution of the Soviet Union and its Eastern European sphere, further complicate the definition. Although moments of confrontation and extra-legal action occurred, the broader process was relatively peaceful and arguably lawful. These inconsistencies suggest that the concept of revolution itself warrants deeper examination than the course provides.
In addition to its conceptual ambiguity, the course also oversimplifies certain historical narratives, even given its limited space. The treatment of the Chinese Communist Party’s rise and evolution, for instance, presents it as a largely continuous revolutionary process driven by ideological goals from its founding through later decades. This perspective aligns with official narratives but overlooks the internal ruptures, power struggles, and shifting priorities that many scholars identify as primary drivers of its history. A more nuanced approach—dividing this history into distinct phases with different dynamics—would have offered a richer and more accurate account.
Overall, The Great Revolutions of Modern History functions as a rudimentary introduction to modern history viewed through the lens of revolution. Its scope is ambitious, but its structure is fragmented, and its analytical depth is limited. A more effective approach might have narrowed the range of case studies while engaging more deeply with selected examples, exploring their social, cultural, and political dynamics in greater detail. Such an approach could have provided viewers with stronger tools for understanding not only past revolutions but also those that may emerge in the future.
As a survey, the course succeeds in covering a wide range of events and offering accessible narrative accounts of the conditions leading up to various revolutions, along with some attention to their immediate aftermaths. However, this breadth comes at the expense of depth. The treatment of individual revolutions often feels too shallow, with limited analysis of what distinguishes each case or why certain movements succeeded while others failed. The absence of a strong analytical framework or concluding synthesis leaves the material feeling fragmented rather than cohesive.
A recurring theme throughout the course is a generally pessimistic view of revolutionary change. While many revolutions succeed in dismantling existing regimes, they frequently fall short of realizing their ideological ambitions, and some fail outright. The implicit takeaway is that revolution should be regarded as a last resort, given the uncertainty and risks that accompany such transformative efforts.
The course begins with a definition of revolution as the pursuit of social goals through actions outside the bounds of existing law. Yet this definition is not consistently upheld. Some cases presented, such as the so-called “TV revolution,” do not clearly involve illegal action. More complex examples, such as the dissolution of the Soviet Union and its Eastern European sphere, further complicate the definition. Although moments of confrontation and extra-legal action occurred, the broader process was relatively peaceful and arguably lawful. These inconsistencies suggest that the concept of revolution itself warrants deeper examination than the course provides.
In addition to its conceptual ambiguity, the course also oversimplifies certain historical narratives, even given its limited space. The treatment of the Chinese Communist Party’s rise and evolution, for instance, presents it as a largely continuous revolutionary process driven by ideological goals from its founding through later decades. This perspective aligns with official narratives but overlooks the internal ruptures, power struggles, and shifting priorities that many scholars identify as primary drivers of its history. A more nuanced approach—dividing this history into distinct phases with different dynamics—would have offered a richer and more accurate account.
Overall, The Great Revolutions of Modern History functions as a rudimentary introduction to modern history viewed through the lens of revolution. Its scope is ambitious, but its structure is fragmented, and its analytical depth is limited. A more effective approach might have narrowed the range of case studies while engaging more deeply with selected examples, exploring their social, cultural, and political dynamics in greater detail. Such an approach could have provided viewers with stronger tools for understanding not only past revolutions but also those that may emerge in the future.
August 9, 2022
Wasn't quite able to finish it before the free period on Audible expired - I liked it, but not enough to buy it so I can finish it. What I did listen to was solid, though - Hartnett definitely used a broader definition of "revolution" than the standard armed uprising a lot of people mean, but for me, that worked.
October 26, 2023
A good way to get a high-level understanding of the revolutions. I specially liked the description of the context and background that made possible the revolution to exist in the first place
October 8, 2024
Very good review of major revolutions in history. Some didn't interesting and maybe a few ignored but an excellent review.
November 11, 2024
Just fantastic if a bit optimistic
December 15, 2024
Very barebones compared to other Great Courses audiobooks, if you want something that tackles a wide variety of topics like this I recommend the Modern War ones over this one.
April 27, 2026
Just a list of topics for further study
May 13, 2021
An excellent overview of revolutions from the seventeenth century on. Each lecture is just enough to spark interest in a topic and give you a basic understanding of each. Obviously there are a lot of nuances left out due to time restrictions, but that just means you should go look for a more in depth book on the subject.
Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews