Revolutionary Emotions

Abstract

Revolutionary Emotions: The Emotional Roots of Revolutionary Waves proposes a novel emotional theory of revolutionary diffusion and success and argues that emotional mobilization is at the root of both. For centuries, revolutionaries have spoken of the emotional arousal—the anger, the hope, and the jettisoning of fear—that motivated their participation in revolt. Studies of revolutions, however, rarely give these emotional narratives the power that actors themselves recount. This book argues that revolutionary waves, including the 1848 revolts and the Arab Uprisings, cannot be explained without the emotional arousal that motivated potential revolutionaries to imitate neighboring revolts. The shared identity of revolutionaries across borders leads to a shared emotional arousal and adoption of protest frames and methods. Absent this shared identity, revolutions are unlikely to cause sufficient emotional resonance to spur imitators across borders. In addition to a shared identity, previous history of protests makes diffusion more likely, as seasoned activists capitalize on this emotional jolt to mobilize against their regimes. The emotional power of the crowds is tangible—if difficult to measure—and influences the decisions of key elite players, including the military, on whether to continue supporting the regime. It is emotional arousal that both conditions the regional diffusion of revolt and determines the strength of mobilization and potential for revolutionary success. By grounding theory in the emotional narratives of revolutionaries and by breaking down the various dichotomies that plague the study of revolutions—structure versus agency, domestic versus international—Revolutionary Emotions provides the first coherent theory of revolutionary diffusion and success.