Modern Revolutions

1. What methods did the group(s) use to express their frustrations and ultimately lead to revolution? Despite the week-long protest, the act of the Romanians on December 1989 was a quite violent revolution. From December 16 to 21 the cruelty was increasing. Some of the examples were the attempt to burn down the building that housed the District Committee of the Romanian Communist Party, and the protesters marched around the city. The reactions from the police and the securitate (secret police) were the part that made this revolution brutal. They spread tear gas and water jets during the march along with arresting the protesters during these attempts. After the revolution it was reported that 1,104 people were killed during this revolution. 2. How is your revolution similar and/or different to one of the revolutions previously studied? Compared to the Filipino revolution, the Romanian revolution was a lot shorter. The Romanian revolution was only about one week long but then it was really violent. The Filipino revolution was without any violence. Both revolutions had a selfish dictator. That selfishness had killed many citizens in Romanian revolution, and Benigno “Ninoy” Aquino Jr. in the Philippines. Also in both revolutions, the dictators tried to escape, but it only succeeded in Filipino revolution. Instead, the dictator in Romanian revolution was executed. This result tells us that violence can make the revolution shorter. 3. What was the eventual outcome of the revolution, and did the nation/people become better due to the revolution? After the death of Ceausescu and his wife, the country got their democracy back. The nation and the people of Romania did succeed in the revolution and the nation got what they wanted. The most important part of democracy is that the Romanians were once again free. After a week-long revolution, the country did become a democracy and they ended communism. 4. Was the revolution justified? Would other methods have worked? This revolution was justified and violence was the only method that would have made this revolution succeed. The Romanians had reacted strongly and even more aggressively towards the dictatorship of Ceausescu. If they didn’t then the army and the dictator would have rose very quickly. And in result, they would have failed to gain freedom for themselves. Instead since the citizens strongly responded the military spent all their strength in one week and unsuccessfully couldn’t continue. Other methods wouldn’t work to end communism. 5. Briefly state whether or not your revolution follows Crane Brinton’s Stages of Revolution. The Romanian revolution doesn’t fit into the Briton Crane’s anatomy of revolution. In the anatomy of revolution, it says that the middle class people rise up against the government then forms a new government. But in the Romanian revolution, people did not form a new government. In addition, the ones that started to go against the government were the ones that were treated badly. The anatomy of revolution also says that the revolution is fragile because popular support is needed, but in the Romanian revolution the revolution wasn’t as fragile because most of the people were on the revolutionary people’s side. And actually, the life in Romania was wealthier when Ceausescu was in power.

Bibliography

• “The Romanian Revolution.” Union Mission. 30 Jan 2008 .
• “Why Romania needs our help.” Relief Fund for Romania. 30 Jan 2008 .
• “Romania: a wealth of poverty .” cafebabel.com. 30 Jan 2008 .

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