Talk:Revolution

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Revolution is the overthrow and replacement of government. [1]

Eheh, it's the "replacement" part that most revolutions have trouble with. I wouldn't consider it a definitive aspect of the word. Star of David.png Radioactive afikomen Please ignore all my awful pre-2014 comments. 01:02, 16 October 2008 (EDT)

They may have trouble with it in some cases, but if they succeed in the overthrow part, usually, the revolutionary leaders end up "replacing" it. However well or poorly. Are there any cases of them overthrowing and then refusing to replace? (Anarchists, perhaps?) ħumanUser talk:Human 01:36, 16 October 2008 (EDT)
Well, my real quibble is more about definition. A revolution is the simple act of overthrowing the established paradigm. The follow-through is an entirely different matter. Star of David.png Radioactive afikomen Please ignore all my awful pre-2014 comments. 16:27, 16 October 2008 (EDT)
Hmmm, WP seems to focus a lot on "change", which includes replacement:

"A revolution (from the Latin revolutio, "a turnaround") is a fundamental change in power or organizational structures that takes place in a relatively short period of time."

"Perhaps most often, the word 'revolution' is employed to denote a change in socio-political institutions."

But they aren't the last word on the topic, of course. Perhaps we could come up with a better replacement (haha) phrase? More like the first thing I quoted above? ħumanUser talk:Human 16:59, 16 October 2008 (EDT)
PS, does anyone know what is meant by "the many "color" revolutions in the early 21st century"? ħumanUser talk:Human 17:00, 16 October 2008 (EDT)
I have no idea. That part was added by Researcher, so we should probably ask him. Star of David.png Radioactive afikomen Please ignore all my awful pre-2014 comments. 17:06, 16 October 2008 (EDT)
This probably refers to things like the "green revolution" (ecology), the "orange revolution" (Ukraine 2004), the "rose revolution" (Georgia 2003), "blue revolution" (Kuwait 2005), the "purple revolution" (Iraq 2005), Belarus had a "denim revolution" and Burma a "saffron revolution" (but that didn't get very far), there was also a "white revolution" (Iran 1963) but I don't think that counts nor does Germany's "brown revolution" in the 1933 when the Nazi's took power. Of course the "rose" revolution may have been about the flower as there was a "tulip revolution" in Kyrgyzstan (2005) (also called "pink revolution") and a "cedar revolution" in Lebanon. If we say that denim is indigo then we pretty much have a rainbow of revolutions. Redchuck.gif ГенгисIs the Pope a Catholic? 17:25, 16 October 2008 (EDT)
I doubt it includes the green rev ("21st century") since that dates at least to the first Earth Day. Those others, though, are almost certainly what is meant. I'll add 'em as a footnote for now. ħumanUser talk:Human 18:18, 16 October 2008 (EDT)
It's a little late now (I never saw this talk page), but I was referring to the rose/orange revolutions, and I wasn't able to remember the names of the other ones. I'd heard a professor once refer to them collectively as the "color revolutions" and I liked the term. Researcher 00:21, 10 November 2008 (EST)
It's never too late on a wiki! Did the footnote we came up with mean what you meant? ħumanUser talk:Human 14:27, 10 November 2008 (EST)


I think this really needs to be rewritten or rearranged, & with a much better definition of the term. Right at the top it defines revolution as overthrow of government, but then further down says that it doesn't always mean this (scientific revolutions, economic revolutions). Unless anyone objects strongly, I'll go to work on this sometime this week. weaseLOIdWeaselly.jpg~ 16:28, 16 November 2008 (EST)

Not to be confused with[edit]

... the revolution of wheels.

Compare and contrast the two meanings of revolution, writing on only one side of the paper at any one time.

82.44.143.26 (talk) 14:09, 24 December 2010 (UTC)