What do you think?
Rate this book
The Origin and Principles of the American Revolution, Compared with the Origin and Principles of the French Revolution
The Origin and Principles of the American Revolution
is perhaps one of the most important books written on the American Revolution by a European author. It is an original study of the subject by a conservative, objective German observer who acknowledges the legitimacy of the American Revolution, but also asserts at the same time that it was not a revolution but a legitimate transition.
The Liberty Fund edition is supplemented by a new introduction and annotations that provide the reader with historical and contextual background to better create a more robust picture of Gentz’s thought.
Peter Koslowski was Professor of Philosophy at VU University Amsterdam.
Please note: This title is available as an ebook for purchase on Amazon, Barnes and Noble, and iTunes.
The Liberty Fund edition is supplemented by a new introduction and annotations that provide the reader with historical and contextual background to better create a more robust picture of Gentz’s thought.
Peter Koslowski was Professor of Philosophy at VU University Amsterdam.
Please note: This title is available as an ebook for purchase on Amazon, Barnes and Noble, and iTunes.
152 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1800
About the author
Friedrich von Gentz
308 books7 followersFriedrich von Gentz (2 May 1764 – 9 June 1832) was a German publicist and statesman.
Breslau (modern Wrocław) is now in Poland, but at the time of Gentz's birth it had just been ceded by Austria to Prussia, and Gentz had familial links to Prussia.
Breslau (modern Wrocław) is now in Poland, but at the time of Gentz's birth it had just been ceded by Austria to Prussia, and Gentz had familial links to Prussia.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews
June 20, 2024
Von Gentz, writing in 1800, builds a strong case against America as a propositional nation.
The American Revolution was a fight by Englishmen for their ancestral rights, not an assertion of abstract principles.
Revolutionary France was a propositional nation. It was terrible.
The American Revolution was a fight by Englishmen for their ancestral rights, not an assertion of abstract principles.
Revolutionary France was a propositional nation. It was terrible.
July 15, 2016
Every American should read this. This is the real history of what happened in our war for independence.
It is popular to paint the Revolution as a peasant revolt or popular uprising. It was anything but. In fact, the closest thing to the popular narrative that you could twist the truth into is that it was a tax revolt.
Our Revolution was an extremely controlled, legal, justified, well documented, unwanted separation of a people from the "mother country" after that government forced us into action by acting to create a lawless society. It was not the throwing off of colonial laws, but the preservation of those same laws against a monarchy and Parliament that ruthlessly pursued the object of tearing down the ancient laws, customs, and protections the colonists were used to and foisting upon them the condition of slaves.
This is why we fought, and we as a nation would do well to learn this.
It is popular to paint the Revolution as a peasant revolt or popular uprising. It was anything but. In fact, the closest thing to the popular narrative that you could twist the truth into is that it was a tax revolt.
Our Revolution was an extremely controlled, legal, justified, well documented, unwanted separation of a people from the "mother country" after that government forced us into action by acting to create a lawless society. It was not the throwing off of colonial laws, but the preservation of those same laws against a monarchy and Parliament that ruthlessly pursued the object of tearing down the ancient laws, customs, and protections the colonists were used to and foisting upon them the condition of slaves.
This is why we fought, and we as a nation would do well to learn this.
November 11, 2024
4.5 stars.
I think it's fascinating that a German knew enough about both the American and French revolutions to write a book comparing them. Most American's don't know as much about their own country as Gentz did.
Before reading this, I didn't know the vast difference between these two revolutions; Their origins, their goals, and their ends. No longer. I found Gentz book both helpful and succinct.
I think it's fascinating that a German knew enough about both the American and French revolutions to write a book comparing them. Most American's don't know as much about their own country as Gentz did.
Before reading this, I didn't know the vast difference between these two revolutions; Their origins, their goals, and their ends. No longer. I found Gentz book both helpful and succinct.
March 11, 2026
For over a decade the French Revolution had raged within the country, and they had spread it throughout Europe with their massive armies, all the while claiming inspiration from their American predecessor, but one conservative disagreed. The Origin and Principles of the American Revolution, Compared with The Origin and Principles of the French Revolution is Friedrich von Gentz’s essay on the two great revolutions of the 18th Century and why one was legitimate and the other wasn’t.
To conservative Europe the havoc of the French Revolution had one direct cause, the American and its war against their lawful king. However German diplomat Friedrich von Gentz not only defended the American Revolution in his essay, showing that it was a legitimate war against a monarch that had sided with a usurping power to oppress his own subjects. Gentz took it for granted that the reader of his day knew the events of the French Revolution but given that it had been almost a quarter century since the beginning of the fighting of the American Revolution, and nearly four decades of the political resistance that preceded it, he focused on recounting the events in America then doing short comparisons to those in France. The four points of view that Gentz contrasted the American and French on—the lawfulness of origin, character of the conduct, quality of object, and compass of resistance—were like all were presented from the lengthiest to the shortest, yet all of them were strongly argued. The one critique was Gentz handwaving away of the American use of natural and unalienable rights along with popular sovereignty as superfluous rhetoric that the Americans used not their actual beliefs, which for a few was true while others it was not.
The Origins and Principles is a well-written defense by a 18th Century European conservative of the legitimacy of the American Revolution especially when contrasted with that of the French which claimed to be inspired by it.
To conservative Europe the havoc of the French Revolution had one direct cause, the American and its war against their lawful king. However German diplomat Friedrich von Gentz not only defended the American Revolution in his essay, showing that it was a legitimate war against a monarch that had sided with a usurping power to oppress his own subjects. Gentz took it for granted that the reader of his day knew the events of the French Revolution but given that it had been almost a quarter century since the beginning of the fighting of the American Revolution, and nearly four decades of the political resistance that preceded it, he focused on recounting the events in America then doing short comparisons to those in France. The four points of view that Gentz contrasted the American and French on—the lawfulness of origin, character of the conduct, quality of object, and compass of resistance—were like all were presented from the lengthiest to the shortest, yet all of them were strongly argued. The one critique was Gentz handwaving away of the American use of natural and unalienable rights along with popular sovereignty as superfluous rhetoric that the Americans used not their actual beliefs, which for a few was true while others it was not.
The Origins and Principles is a well-written defense by a 18th Century European conservative of the legitimacy of the American Revolution especially when contrasted with that of the French which claimed to be inspired by it.
May 19, 2009
Excellent.
July 19, 2025
A very enlightening historical perspective on the difference between the American and French revolutions. Probably the distinction I will remember best is that the American Revolution was a defensive revolution with definite ends, whereas the French Revolution was offensive in nature and had no definite end, and thus ended up becoming destructive.
December 26, 2021
Read whole book for IH 4.
This book fit so perfectly with the topic of a paper I was writing for US History! I devoured this book as quickly as I could because the paper was due that week, and I had an insane amount of highlights. If you ever find yourself writing an essay on the ethics of the American War for Independence, READ THIS BOOK. It’s short, and you won’t regret it.
This book fit so perfectly with the topic of a paper I was writing for US History! I devoured this book as quickly as I could because the paper was due that week, and I had an insane amount of highlights. If you ever find yourself writing an essay on the ethics of the American War for Independence, READ THIS BOOK. It’s short, and you won’t regret it.
July 25, 2021
Contrasts the principles, qualities, and outcomes of the American & French Revolutions, to demonstrate the immensity of difference between the two. TL;DR: French Revolution bad (very bad), American Revolution good. Highly recommend for any reader of American history or modern political thought.
July 14, 2021
What I wanted more of from Burke's Reflections: straight-up informative comparison.
November 20, 2023
This was a balanced and thought-provoking evaluation of these two conflicts.
December 2, 2025
Clear, concise, and insightful. A masterful treatment of both revolutions which elucidates their (many) differences.
February 22, 2025
This is a classic comparison of the French and American Revolutions written by a German intellectual in 1800. It was originally written as an article. It was translated into English by our sixth President, John Quincy Adams, the translation that suffices until today. Gentz acknowledged the legitimacy of the American Revolution, but also asserts at that it was not a revolution but a legitimate transition. He was converted to his conservative views of the French Revolution by Edmund Burke's "Reflections on the Revolution in France", which deserves to be read before Gentz's work. But by all means "The Origin and Principles of the American Revolution deserves reading. Gentz's views are in contrast to Thomas Jefferson who was infatuated by the French Revolution even after The Terror. He never renounced his views but seems to have left them behind when he was elected as President. "The tree of liberty must be refreshed from time to time with the blood of patriots and tyrants. It is its natural manure." Not sure I would vote for a man for President who seemed to be so callous to the devastation of the French Revolution. John Adams was right about Jefferson.
July 15, 2024
A short but heavy and serious read. Anyone who is serious about understanding the inexorable series of events leading to the formation of the USA and the folly of comparing the American Revolution to the French Revolution should read this book.
Want to Read
June 21, 2024Goodreads
May 26, 2025
Insightful treatment and analysis of the difference between the American and the French revolutions.
November 26, 2025
Essential reading for any American, even one who thinks he understands the American War for Independence.
July 11, 2012
Excellent book. Short and to the point.
April 17, 2017
Though it was a little difficult to read, it gave a lot of interesting information about the American and French Revolutions, and showed that they are in no shape or form exactly alike. In a few instances they may be similar, but for the most part, they are completely different.
Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews