The French Revolution drew much of its organization from economically secure groups with the time and money to mobilize others. Subsistence work left poorer people fewer resources for planning a revolt or obtaining weapons. One explanation for Britain's comparative stability in the 1790s is that its earlier civil wars had already increased the political weight of the middle classes. That interpretation also connects their greater influence with the earlier development of Britain's Industrial Revolution. Economic position matters here because organizing political change requires resources as well as grievances.
Notable Point · 34:46-37:49
Who could afford to organize a revolution?
Money, free time, and access to weapons help explain the role of prosperous groups in revolutionary organization.