Toward a fourth generation of revolutionary theory

Third-generation theories of revolution pointed to the structural vulnerabi lities of regimes as the basic causes of revolutions. In the last decade, c ritics of structural theories have argued for the need to incorporate leade rship, ideology, and processes of identification with revolutionary movemen ts as key elements in the production of revolution. Analyses of revolutions in developing countries and in communist regimes have further argued for i ncorporating these factors and for the inadequacy of structural theories to account for these events. Rather than try to develop a list of the "causes " of revolutions, it may be more fruitful for the fourth generation of revo lutionary theory to treat revolutions as emergent phenomena, and to start b y focusing on factors that cement regime stability. Weakness in those facto rs then opens the way for revolutionary leadership, ideology, and identific ation, along with structural factors such as international pressure and eli te conflicts, to create revolutions.