Q&A · 3:07:40-3:07:52

Would the French Revolution still happen without an American victory?

Removing the American example might alter the timing of revolution in France without removing the domestic conditions that made upheaval possible.

Question

Would the French Revolution still occur if the American Revolution failed?

Short answer

Probably, because the French conditions remained, but it might begin later or under a different monarch.

Notes

A French revolution remains possible even if the American Revolution fails. The underlying conditions in France remain, although one external example and source of momentum has changed. The rupture might occur a few years later or under the next monarch rather than on the historical timetable. Timing remains uncertain, but American independence was not the sole cause of French upheaval.