(8.5) Skockpol Problem Set

Question 1

Describe Skocpol’s key work

Answer 1

States and Social Revolution (1979)

Question 2

What does Skocpol study?

Answer 2

• Studies causes + outcomes of social revolutions

Question 3

2

Define social revolution (Skocpol)

Answer 3

• Rapid, basic transformation of a society’s state + class structures
• Accompanied + carried through in part by class-based revolts from below

Question 4

3

What are the 3 main social revolutions pre-decolonisation? (Skocpol)

Answer 4

• French Revolution
• Soviet Revolution
• Chinese Communist Revolution

Question 5

2

Describe Skocpol method + case selection

Answer 5

• Method of agreement: both experience social revolution
• France + China very different culturally/geographically → well chosen

Question 6

2

Describe necessary conditions for political crisis (France + China)

Answer 6

• Balanced power between monarchy + landed elite
• International pressures as trigger

Question 7

2

Describe necessary conditions for peasant revolts (France + China)

Answer 7

• Small plot holdings
• Local politics cannot be necessary condition — varies too much between cases

Question 8

3

Describe how Russia changes Skocpol’s conclusions

Answer 8

• Contradicts balanced power condition — tsarist regime dominant
• Political crisis instead from international pressure + tsar’s mismanagement of WW1
• Small plots still present → reinforces this as necessary condition for social revolution

Question 9

Describe Skocpol’s method + case selection

Answer 9

• Method of difference: France (social revolution) vs England (no crisis)

though differ in too many other dimensions - not good case

Question 10

2

Describe what the France + England comparison tells us

Answer 10

• Hard to uncover sufficient conditions
• Countries differ in too many factors — no single explanatory difference

Question 11

3

Describe the overall critique of Skocpol’s methods

Answer 11

• Russia contradicts balanced power as necessary condition
• France + England too different to identify sufficient conditions
• Methods flawed even if underlying theory is correct

Question 12

3

Describe the causal chain (Skocpol, France)

Answer 12

• Fiscal reforms attempted
• Elite blocks reforms
• State collapses

Question 13

2

Describe straw in wind test (Skocpol, France)

Answer 13

• Evidence: deteriorating fiscal situation pre-1789 or unpopular reforms discussed among elites
• Consistent with theory but doesn’t establish elite blocking was key

Question 14

2

Describe hoop test (Skocpol, France)

Answer 14

• Evidence: reforms proposed + abandoned due to elite resistance
• Sources: minutes of King’s councils + ministerial correspondence

Question 15

2

Describe smoking gun test (Skocpol, France)

Answer 15

• Evidence: King called Estates-General as desperate measure after elite blockage
• Sufficient: started chain of events → collapse of monarchy