Authorised by Academic Registrar, April 1996
Synopsis Understanding the French Revolution is impossible without a knowledge of the society in which it erupted. This subject looks at the changes in French society, culture and politics in the half-century before the revolution. Central themes are the shift from religious to secular politics; changes in government and administration; the development of the new political ideologies and their challenge to the Old Regime state; demographic change and its social impact; the social and political consequences of economic growth and overseas expansion. The subject will conclude with a study of the 1789 revolution and its immediate causes.
Assessment Short essay (1500 words): 30% + Long essay (3500 words): 50% + Examination (1 hour): 20% (Option of an additional 1000-word essay in place of an examination)