The masses arise: The great French Revolution, 1789-1815

The great French revolution signalled the end of feudalism in France and laid the basis for modern capitalist society. Yet today the historians of the ruling class try to deny their own heritage. They are petrified of new revolutionary upheavals – this time led by the powerful working class towards the overthrow of capitalism.The true history of the revolution is still rich for the working class on the heroic will of the sans-cullotes to do away with the old order, on the ebbs and the flows of the revolutionary process, on the development of Bonapartism – the forerunner of modern military dictatorships and on the revolutionary tasks in societies where elements of feudalism remain.This book, first published in 1989, above all unearths the true history of the struggle of the oppressed and draws out vital lessons for the class struggle today.