Description
Comparing the two great revolutions of the eighteenth century, the author concludes that despite their common philosophical origins, the Americans stressed individual liberty while the French emphasized public order and cohesion.
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What the two great modern revolutions can teach us about democracy todayThe American and French revolutions presented the world with two very different visions of democracy. Although both professed similar Enlightenment ideals of freedom, equality, and justice and set similar political agendas, there were also fundamental differences. The French sought a complete break with a thousand years of history; the Americans were content to preserve many aspects of their English heritage. Why did the two revolutions follow such different trajectories? And what lessons do they offer us about democracy today? In lucid narrative style, Dunn captures the personalities and lives of the great figures of both revolutions, and shows how their stories added up to make two very different events.
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