Revolution DBQ Essay

When people think of the term, revolution, they associate it with an overthrow or replacement of a government or political system. A revolution could also mean a change in society and the social structure, often accompanied by violence. There are many examples of revolution in history, such as the French revolution and the American Revolution in which the colonies gained independence from Britain. Revolutions are not always successful. There are aspects that must be gained in order to have a successful rebellion. In order to have an effective rebellion there must be a strong leader, someone the people could look up to, a multitude of people and persistence.

Initially, for a revolution to be effective, it is necessary to have a strong leader that will motivate and impact people. After Gandhi’s leadership in the “Indian medical corps that fought on the British side in the Boer War...Gandhi’s reputation as a leader grew” (source B). He showed people that through nonviolent civil disobedience, there can be success. His leadership as a strong and nonviolent man pulled people towards him and his incentives to create a new India free from British rule. A person that can express strong leadership skills through their efforts in battle or through their ability to

sway and convince the public can pull people to fight for their cause. Without a true leader, it will be hard to organize and gain support for a certain cause. In the book, 1984, the enemy of the party, Emmanuel Goldstein is depicted as the head of the organization called the Brotherhood. When Winston asks O’Brien if the brotherhood exists, he responds by telling him that he “will never know...as long as [he] lives it shall be an unsolved riddle in [his] mind” (Orwell 214). It is not quite certain whether or not the brotherhood exists or if Emmanual Goldstein exists, they could merely be party propaganda used to encourage hate and control the party members. The lack of a strong leader caused Winston to trust the wrong people and ultimately fall into the hands of O’Brian.
Moreover, for a revolution to be successful there must be a substantial group of people that support the cause and be willing to fight for it. Civil rights activist, Rosa parks was asked to give up her seat on a Montgomery bus, but when she refused, she got arrested. Her actions started the Montgomery Bus Boycott where “members of the African-American community...stayed off city buses” which caused as many as “40,000 African Americans” to walk to work (source C). Due to the fact that the buses were not making revenue, African American efforts were rewarded when the city of Montgomery lifted its enforcement of segregation on public buses. The size and the loyalty of the participants in boycott were promoted the rebellion to be successful. One person will not have as much as an effect on a rebellious effort as a thousand people would. In a passage called “Harrison Bergeron”, the society that the people lived in were full of restrictions in that no one can be more or less superior to another person. A man named Harrison decided to take action and “tore the straps of his handicap harness…[and] smashed his headphones and spectacles against the wall”(source A). He declared himself emperor and allowed others to see what it was like to not to be handicapped. His efforts were stopped short by gunshots that pierced through his body and killed him. He was only one man, he could not have done much without the support of others. A large mass of people could make the world of a difference in how effective a rebellion would be. They would have the ability to intimidate, impact and alter the effectiveness of society.
Ultimately, persistence and tenacity are needed in order for a successful rebellion to occur. During the Montgomery Bus Boycott there was much resistance from the opposing side. “Black churches were burned and both Martin Luther King Jr’s and E.D. Nixon’s homes were destroyed by bombings” and even through these, the black community endured and pushed through (source C). They did not let any negativity stop them from gaining their rights and liberties. Without perseverance people would stop short of what they are doing and never see it through to the end. Nothing would be accomplished if people do not have persistence. The colonists were also persistent in their efforts to stop the taxes that were imposed on them by the British. They were burdened with acts such as the tea act that granted the “British East India Company a trade monopoly on tea exported to the American colonists” and the Intolerable Acts “which shut down Boston Harbor until the British East India Company had been fully reimbursed for the tea destroyed at the Boston Tea Party”(Source D). Even though they were suppressed again and again, they still fought for what they believed in. Their endurance and persistence allowed them to finally gain their independence from Britain.
Thus, for a revolutions against oppression to be successful, there must be a strong and persuasive leader to keep the people organized, a large group that supports the cause of the revolution and perseverance.

In the book, 1984, Winston lacked these key aspects, he did not have support, a strong leader was not available and he did not have tenacity to organized or to elicit a rebellion. He left everything in the hands of the proles even though he knew that they lack the energy and grit to produce a revolution. And as Che Guevara said, “The revolution is not an apple that falls when it is ripe. You have to make it fall”. Revolution is not something that starts itself, it needs the help of people to induce

it.