"Revolution": The Entrance of a New Word Into Western Political Discourse

Although there are scores of books on the theme of revolution, Ilan Rachum's study is unique in its analysis from the perspective of political discourse. It examines how the term 'revolution' entered Western political vocabulary through a historical survey covering the early Renaissance to the French Revolution. Antecedents of the term 'revolution' originated in Italy, from where they spread with modifications to France and finally England. Rachum also examines the use and significance of the term during the Enlightenment, the emergence of the epithet 'American Revolution', and the rebounding effects of this term on French intellectuals on the eve of 1789. This fascinating study will excite historians, political scientists, and anyone with an interest in the history of ideas that have had a lasting impact on how we perceive and describe social change.