Considering the question of what a revolution is, it should be noted that it is a method of transition from one political and social system to another through the active actions of the masses, sometimes armed. The revolution is a creative form of development of society, aimed at preserving and increasing the productive capacities created by the people. It contributes to the elimination of forces that impede the development of society, putting their interests above the interests of citizens.
Thus, the answer to the question of what revolution is may be as follows: revolution is the process of destroying obsolete production relations that have lost incentives for the development of production forces, and the restoration of mechanisms for the development of society. In this case, the creators of the revolution are social classes, groups and strata who are interested in change and oppose the existing order.
One of the main tasks of any revolution is the overthrow of the current government and the approval of a new one. These tasks can be carried out peacefully and non-peacefully, that is, either with the use of armed violence in the overthrow of power, or without using it. The nature of the revolution is determined by the essence of the social, economic and political contradictions that it resolves, as well as by the nature of its driving forces. For example, if it is based on internal contradictions between the development of productive forces and obsolete relations that impede this development, then the revolution, in accordance with the nature of the social masses, which affirm the new relations, can be bourgeois in nature. Such were the Dutch and English, as well as the Great French Revolution, the reasons for which lay in the desire to establish new orders.
In the event that the revolution is based on the contradictions between national development and the pressure of imperialism, then it acquires a national liberation, democratic character.
When considering the question of what a revolution is, it is necessary to indicate that it arises when a large part of the country no longer wants to endure the situation in which it is and wants to change. People’s discontent increases if they fail to achieve what they want. But, in any case, a push is needed to begin with. As a rule, it begins spontaneously with rebellions that are easily suppressed by force. However, if the revolution is led by a strong leader with clear objectives, it will end successfully. In other cases, it will be doomed to failure.
Consider several examples of the emergence of revolutions in different countries:
1. American Revolution (1775) - the colonists rebelled against the introduction of taxes, their goal was to change the status of the column and the declaration of independence. As a result, the States were proclaimed a democratic republic.
2. Socialist revolution in Russia (1917) - as a result of the crisis in the country, uprisings were launched under the leadership of V. I. Lenin, which resulted in a revolution.
3. The Great French Revolution (1789) - as a result of chaos in the management system, rising food prices, riots broke out, riots broke out. As a result of all this, the monarch was overthrown, a new government was established.
Thus, having considered what a revolution is, it must be said that it can be absolutely unpredictable. Revolutionaries can achieve their goals, but they can also be defeated, and leaders of revolutions can both go down in history as heroes and traitors (if they betray their ideals).
The revolution represents a profound qualitative change in the development of social life. It is massive and leads to changes in social, economic and political life.