Annotated Bibliography
Barnett, Brooke & Reynolds, Amy. Terrorism and the Press: An Uneasy Relationship. New
York: Peter Lang, 2009. - Both Barnett and Reynolds agrees with the common notion that the Reign of Terror influenced modern history as they site that the la Terreur is the turning point of modern terrorism. Both Barnett and Reynolds also noted how the French Terror inspired the Bolshevik Revolution and the 19th-20th century contemporary terrorism in Russia as the Soviet Union came into power.
Blain, Michael. The Sociology of Terrorism: Studies in Power, Subjection, and Victimage Ritual.
Boca Raton: Universal-Publishers, 2009. - Michael Blain’s book surmises the inner workings of the term “Terrorism” and how it has transformed throughout history. In his explanation with regards to the Reign of Terror, he cites that the la Terreur and the American War of Independence in 1776 are similar as they fought for the liberty and rights of the people and used potent power in influencing their competition away from the country.
Bulliet, Richard., Crossley, Pamela., Headrick, Daniel., Hirsch, Steven., Johnson, Lyman., &
Northrup, David. The Earth and its People: A Global History. Boston: Cengage Learning, 2010. - The authors provided incite as to how Maximilien Robespierre and Mary Worllstonecraft saw the Reign of Terror and why was it important. Robespierre believed that revolutions must not be influenced by diverse opinion. Wollstonecraft noted that France would only consume itself under violence and corruption.
Duiker, William & Spielvogel, Jackson. The Essential World History, Volume I: To 1800.
Boston: Wadsworth, 2010. – Duiker and Spivogel noted that the Reign of Terror was done to meet the domestic crisis now that many people were conspiring against the fledgling Republic. The National Convention and the Committee of Public Safety launched several court trials and killings in the course of one year. They also noted a sentiment of one German that he found the Revolution gruesome as the public did not even care if there were blood on the streets.
Fremont-Barnes, Gregory. Encyclopedia of the Age of Political Revolutions and New Ideologies,
1760-1815. Westport: Greenwood Publishing Group, 2007. - Fremont-Barnes provides a complete discussion as to how the French Revolution and the Reign of Terror became one of the most violent revolts in history. However, the author notes that there is still a debate as to when the Reign of Terror really began. He also noted that the Reign of Terror itself was a form of state emergency to ensure that the Republic would be protected from revolutionist.
Furet, Francois. Interpreting the French Revolution. New York: Cambridge: 1997. - Furet cited
several authors who have tried to analyze the history of the French Revolution and how it has become an ideological revolution. As he moved on to the beginning of the revolution’s terror; he cited several authors such as Karl Marx, Friedrich Engels and the Jacobins. Marx and Engels, as noted by the author, believed that the Terror was led by people who were also terrorised which are why it was a means of revenge.
Perdue, William. Terrorism and the State: A Critique of Domination Through Fear. Westport:
Praeger Publishers, 1989. - For Perdue, the Reign of Terror was caused by social forces that have also affected the political, economic, and power play factors of other regimes. He cites that France has lost its power by the reign of Louis XV and Louis XVI, causing the country to face bankruptcy and foreign pressure. These pressures eventually caused many revolutions to arise and as the government’s medium to fight back, a terror regime took over in 1793.
Plain, Nancy. Louis XVI, Marie Antoinette, and the French Revolution. Singapore: Marshall
Cavendish, 2001. - Plain narrated as to how the Reign of Terror began with the executions of Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette. Their deaths became the start of the reign of terror as many guillotines were placed in the Plazas of France. However, since many have died innocent of any crimes, the people revolted against Robespierre and ended the reign of terror.
Purpura, Philip. Terrorism and Homeland Security: An Introduction With Applications.
Burlington: Butterworth-Heinemann, 2007. - With a small introduction to the French Revolution, Purpura discusses how terrorism became a positive policy in the late 17th century as the government used it to promote justice. He cites that the Terror launched by the French government was the first of its kind to utilize terror that was not justified by religion, but it was a means to pressure people to a political ideology. The author also sited that the spirit of the Terror found its way to Russia, Europe, and even in the United States in the form of Anarchist groups
Robinson, James Harvey. Introduction to the History of Western Europe. Middlesex: Echo
Library, 2009. - Robinson starts out his concise but brief summary of the French Revolution by asking readers what first comes to their mind when they speak regarding the Revolution. He cites out that the French Revolution became known with the guillotine, attack in Bastille, and the hundreds of victims caused by the Terror. Robinson then details the various factors that has led to the Revolution and why the Reign of Terror became the sequel of the Revolution that shook French monarchy.
Shlapentokh, Dmitry. French Revolution in Russian Intellectual Life, 1865-1905. Brunswick:
Transaction Publishers, 2009. - In beginning his book, Shalapentokh discusses the influences caused by the French Revolution in the outlook of the Russians. He argued that the Russians saw the Revolution as a key of interest as it reflects the West’s political and social climate, and how it reflects the importance of democracy in the future. However, he also argued that although the French Revolution or the Reign of Terror would eventually cause democracy, there is still a possibility authoritarian or totalitarian regimes would take over governments after Revolutions.
White, Jonathan. Terrorism and Homeland Security. Belmont: Wadsworth, 2010. - White lists
down the several historic events that pave the way to the development of modern terrorism. For White, he noted that the Reign of Terror was the time the term terrorism first used as it was referred to as the actions of the new government. He then cited that France and the rest of Europe would still feel the influence of the French Terror in the era of Napoleon Bonaparte and his military authoritarianism.
