The Cercle Social, the Girondins, and the French Revolution

by Gary Kates

Gary Kates reconstructs the history of the Cercle Social, a group of writers and politicians who wielded considerable influence during the French Revolution and whose pioneering interest in women's rights and land reform made their club one of the most progressive in Revolutionary Paris.

Originally published in 1985.

The Princeton Legacy Library uses the latest print-on-demand technology to again make available previously out-of-print books from the distinguished backlist of Princeton University Press. These paperback editions preserve the original texts of these important books while presenting them in durable paperback editions. The goal of the Princeton Legacy Library is to vastly increase access to the rich scholarly heritage found in the thousands of books published by Princeton University Press since its founding in 1905.

Genres: History

325 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1985

Reviews

[Mathieu · Rating 4 out of 5]

Gary Kates has written what may be -- at least for a while -- the definitive book about the Cercle social in the sense that he manages to clearly explains what is the Cercle social and what are its ties with but also how it is different from the Brissotins and the Girondins.

Maybe even more interesting is how he shows that, to these revolutionaries, propaganda, or, to put it in a positive light, enlightenment writings were as essential (and maybe even more so) as political activities. Or, to put it differently, ideas were politics.

Indeed, this is what explains the downfall of these intellectuals who couldn't break up with their utopian vision (which was much more radical than commonly thought) of society -- a liberal vision of a democratic republic.

A definitive book, indeed.

[Laura Lopez · Rating 3 out of 5]

Read this book for my college course "Europe Social and Cultural History".

Had to write a book review on it. Was an instructive book even though historical books are not my cup of tea.