The French Revolution: An Economic Interpretation

The French Revolution: An Economic Interpretation

1990 • 252 pages

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15

Having the distinction of being so retrograde that the author can presumably be found on the cover, The French Revolution: An Economic Interpretation is an invaluable window into the French revolution from the perspective of someone who was actually there. Florin Aftalion's experience during the revolution is an invaluable resource, and it tells modern readers a great deal about what hidebound public servants actually thought and felt at the time of such momentous calamity.

Coming from the Ancien Regime's magnificent splendor, where only kings and princes could move the world, how did they explain such a monumental shift caused by commoners and peasants? Aftalion is happy to put clawed and dessicated hand to pen and tell us in this fabulous memoir. The excellently preserved husk of what was once Aftalion explains, with magnificent charts and graphs, how the revolution had very little to do with political upheaval. It was all economic in nature! This perspective is especially reasonable given that the property values on Aftalion's crypt have no doubt fluctuated in the recent economic crises. Is another revolution on the rise? We'll have to find that shaman again and find out!

If you want a seasoned and reasonable account of the revolution that takes into account the importance of the individual and the social currents of the time, this may not be the necronomicon for you! But if you're looking for an archaic perspective on a fascinating subject, devoid of all the vital currents that make this period so fascinating, I highly recommend this eldritch tome.

Also, it's pretty short.

January 13, 2015