counterrevolution

Counterrevolution refers to organized efforts to oppose, overturn, or reverse a revolution and to restore the prior political, social, or economic order. It encompasses political movements, military actions, and ideological campaigns that seek to reverse changes introduced by a revolutionary government. The term is commonly used in political science and history to describe strategic opposition rather than spontaneous protest.

Origins and aims: Counterrevolutionary movements are typically driven by elites, religious authorities, or foreign powers who perceive revolutionary changes as threats to property, status, or traditional authority. Their goals can include restoring a constitutional monarchy, reinstating pre-revolutionary laws, or reestablishing social hierarchies. They may pursue political participation, armed rebellion, or diplomatic pressure.

Tactics and actors: Tactics range from propaganda and legal manipulation to paramilitary operations and full-scale coups. Actors include former ruling classes, monarchists, religious groups, national militaries, or external states sympathetic to the old order.

Outcomes and legacy: Counterrevolutions can succeed, leading to regimes reversal or compromise, or they can fail, resulting in continued revolutionary rule and civil conflict. They can also shape subsequent political development by prompting reform or liberalization as a response to threat.

Examples: Notable episodes include counterrevolutionary activity after the French Revolution and the Vendée uprising; the White movement during the Russian Civil War; the Contra movement against the Sandinista government in Nicaragua; and various post-revolutionary crackdowns in the 20th century.