Revolution: Characteristics, taxonomies and situational causes

Abstract. Revolution is an historical process that generates a rapid and radical (social, economic and political) change in society. This conceptual paper shows basic characteristics, taxonomies and situational causes of revolution. Moreover, this study also suggests that acurrent and distinct form of revolution, not included in previous studies, is terrorism. Overall, then, it seems that terrorism has many analogies with some drivers of revolution (e.g., economic, social, political and demographic determinants) and can generate changes in society, similarly to revolutions.Keywords. Social change, Political change, Structural change, Internal war, Rebellion, Insurrection, Coup d’État, Terrorism.JEL. N30, O30, O31, I23