January 17, 2005
SHOULD HAVE STUCK TO CAKE EATING:
When Revolution Was in the (French) Air (ANITA GATES, 1/17/05, NY Times)
Anyone who would tune in to the History Channel's version of "The French Revolution" tonight probably already knows that Marie Antoinette never said, "Let them eat cake." Only a passing reference is made to that mythical quotation. One academic suggests that Marie, the last queen of France, probably never gave enough thought to the plight of the poor to have formed an opinion about it.For scholars, this well-done if not scintillating documentary, illustrated by dramatic re-creations and relevant artwork, may not hold much interest. For others, those who might have read "A Tale of Two Cities" once (a long time ago), it's a well-done overview of what a talking-head expert calls "the most important event in Western history." David Bell, of Johns Hopkins University, is less sweeping with his definition: an "extraordinary moment when people began to believe" that it was possible to "change human nature itself through political action."
A more destructive belief Man has yet to cook up. Posted by Orrin Judd at January 17, 2005 11:37 AM
yup, they had their Revolution and all they got was the Reign of Terror.
I stole this from a poster a long time ago.
Posted by: Sandy at January 17, 2005 12:13 PMOh, and the metric system too. Thanks a lot, guys.
Posted by: John Barrett Jr. at January 17, 2005 1:14 PMAt least today's date is not being called the 25th of Snow (Nivose) of Year CCXIII.
I don't think I could handle the 10 day work week.
Posted by: Gideon at January 17, 2005 1:52 PMThey haven't had any famines since, though.
Any political system that lets its inmates eat regular is better than any system that doesn't.
Posted by: Harry Eagar at January 17, 2005 2:49 PMHarry: That's nonsense.
Posted by: David Cohen at January 17, 2005 2:56 PMDavid:
Harry prefers a system of tens of thousands of fed inmates on the way to their deaths to the two unfed nuts in the Bastille.
Posted by: oj at January 17, 2005 3:02 PMHarry's going to try out for that Raymond Massey role when they do a remake of The Scarlet Pimpernel.
If he thinks the French Revolution was "progress," I can't wait to hear what he thinks of the Russian--oh, wait a minute. . ..
Posted by: Lou Gots at January 17, 2005 4:00 PMIt's not nonsense but it is revealing. Scratch a progressive, full of righteous outrage for the underclass, and you'll find a guy terrified that he's going to join them someday. In Harry's case this might be rational. After all, what does a newspaper reporter really do? And why would anyone pay him for it?
Posted by: joe shropshire at January 17, 2005 4:01 PM"...a talking-head expert calls "the most important event in Western history."???
What's the American Revolution, chopped liver?
Posted by: Bartman at January 17, 2005 6:22 PMKeep in mind that at least part of the reason the Bastille was stormed was because it had gained a reputation for cruelty to prisoners.
Why did it gain that reputation? Because the imprisoned Marquis de Sade continually yelled from his window at passers-by that he was being raped and tortured (these claims were nonsense, of course). When they stormed the Bastille, the Paris mob released one of the 18th century's most dangerous sexual psychopaths.
Way to go, Frogs.
Posted by: Matt Murphy at January 17, 2005 7:12 PMCareful Matty:
de Sade's a hero to the Foucauldian academic Left.
Posted by: Jim in Chicago at January 17, 2005 10:56 PMHarry, the utilitarian. Too bad Stalin couldn't feed everyone until he liquidated 20 % or so. I mean if food and efficiency are the goals why not do like Marat and recommend we kill some more?
Posted by: Tom C., Stamford,Ct. at January 18, 2005 4:06 PMInability to feed its citizens was/is one of the failures of communism. And of the ancien regime.
If you guys knew any history, you'd get it.
The last famine in England was 100 years earlier than the last famine in France. That ought to tell you something, or at least lead you to ask a question.
Posted by: Harry Eagar at January 18, 2005 6:56 PMIt's always funny to see Americans engage in apologetics for a group of unashamed, corrupt authoritarians who got their position by birth. Colonial America couldn't accept British 'tyranny.' How would they have fared under the Bourbons?
The French Revolution was one of the two greatest events in world history. It went off the tracks for reasons too numerous to go into here, but that doesn't mean it was not warranted.
Generally speaking, the best purpose of aristocracy is as a cost-free means of testing your guillotine.
Posted by: Bart at January 21, 2005 8:58 AMIt was a mistake from jump street and could only end as it did.
Posted by: oj at January 21, 2005 12:53 PM