Revolutions - Contrast & Compare

I was inspired by a certain talk show host to do a little quick Internet research on the French Revolution.  Wikipedia told me this:

The French Revolution (French: Révolution française; 1789–1799), was a period of radical social and political upheaval in France that had a major impact on France and indeed all of Europe. The absolute monarchy that had ruled France for centuries collapsed in three years. French society underwent an epic transformation as feudal, aristocratic and religious privileges evaporated under a sustained assault from radical left-wing political groups, masses on the streets, and peasants in the countryside. Old ideas about tradition and hierarchy - of monarchy, aristocracy and religious authority - were abruptly overthrown by new Enlightenment principles of equality, citizenship and inalienable rights.

So how does this compare with the American Revolution?  These after all were contemporaries with leaders of both reading much of the same literature of the time.  The French Revolution turned bloody and chaotic with a general uprising of the populace against the establishment.  Once the "Republic" was established, more chaos ensued culminating in the Reign of Terror when tens of thousands were killed. 

By contrast, the American Revolution turned into a conventional war between nations.  While bloody, it was not a chaotic uprising of the masses.  Nor did the chaos linger after the War was over.  The final status of the new nation took some time to sort out but it was left to an intellectual and political sorting out period culminating in the beautiful document of the US Constitution.

So what was the root of the difference in outcomes?  To me, the difference is clear.  In the French Revolution the source of the movement was in the masses driven by anti-establishment fervor and rebellion against the ruling classes - the royalty, the aristocrats, the religious leaders.  In the American Revolution, the source of the movement was in the enlightened leadership - the aristocrats, the religious leaders, the colonial politicians and businessmen - the ruling classes.  In the colonies, the aristocracy, subordinate to the king, rose up against the status quo..  In France, the liberal intellectuals whipped the masses into wholesale rejection of the ruling class and aristocracy.  So, rather than changing merely the political system, the French Revolution changed the whole of society from top to bottom, inside and out.  Confusion reigned and terror ensued.

Let's keep this history lesson in mind as we participate in transformations and political movements in our country.  If you want change, work for it honestly without chaoctic upheaval.  Our system of government allows for peaceful, radical changes to be worked within the system.  Losing patience and taking shortcuts by force feeding change via popular uprising only leads to destruction and hate.  If you want change, work within the system and make your argument, win your argument.  If you can't win your argument within the system, there is probably a good reason for it.  The Occupy Wall Street chaos is about disruption and popular uprising.  Once it moves beyond making itself heard through traditional means of protest and into chaos and disruption, it ceases to be respected.

Likewise, let us see a political movement that incorporates real leaders in the establishment.  I see politicians that want to stick with the status quo, not be change agents.  If we don't see change leadership of the ruling classes - business, religious, political, then populist, chaotic movements like Occupy Wall Street will continue to find traction.   This is good for no one.