A major new political history of the French Revolution In 1786 France’s ancien régime was
functioning as usual. Its alliance with the victorious American colonies had restored its
diplomatic prestige the economy seemed to be flourishing and internal politics seemed quiet.
But just a few short years later the dynasty which had ruled France for over 800 years was
swept away. What happened to cause such devastating change to the long-established political
structure? John Hardman traces the political history of the French Revolution from its
origins to its aftermath. Hardman argues that the nature of ancien régime politics the
mismanagement of the fiscal crisis and a new generation of young overly confident politicians
brought the Bourbon monarchy’s apparatus crashing down. He shows how feudalism was on its last
legs in 1789 and analyses the key roles played by Louis XVI Antoine Barnave and Georges
Danton. This is a remarkable history of one of modern Europe’s defining moments shedding
new light on the complex politics of the day.
