Hostname: page-component-7bb8b95d7b-495rp Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-09-07T15:21:02.207Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false

The Manipulation of Economic Unrest

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  03 February 2011

Crane Brinton
Affiliation:
Harvard University

Extract

I Take it that what lies in the back of the minds of most of us when a subject like this comes up is the problem of the relation between economic unrest and political and social change, and more especially, the kind of change we call a revolution. We all know those for whom the solution of this problem is very simple: they say “look for the economic motive” as innocently as if they said “cherchez la femme.” Even at a more mature level of thinking the problem is still often put in such a way that something economic always lies at the bottom, or pulls the trigger, or provides the main impulse, or—and this is the precious word—“determines” everything.

Type
Articles
Copyright
Copyright © The Economic History Association 1948

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

1 I mean that I probably tried too hard to get systematically representatives of important modern revolutionary movements from the English to those of our own time; and also that what the psychologist calls “free association” is not what the metaphysician means by “free.” Subconsciously, unconsciously, my list is no doubt drawn up to put as good a face as possible on my thesis that revolutionary leaders are a varied lot, a cross section of humanity.