The Revolutions of 1848 — when revolution swept across Europe simultaneously. Duncan examines why nearly every country on the continent experienced revolution in the same year, and why nearly all of them failed.
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Highlights
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Revolutionary contagion — revolutions spread through demonstration effect
In 1848, revolution spread from Paris to Vienna to Berlin to Budapest to Rome within weeks. Each revolution inspired the next, creating a cascade across borders.
Successful revolutions require the old guard to lose its nerve
Duncan argues that 1848 succeeded initially because kings and ministers panicked. When they recovered their nerve, every revolution was crushed. Revolution depends on elite demoralization.