Judging Success: How to Measure Outcomes

Deciding whether a revolution 'succeeded' depends on the measure chosen. One measure is political survival: did the new regime last? The United States Constitution has lasted since 1789, while France went through a republic, an empire and a restored monarchy within twenty-five years. A second measure is whether the revolution achieved its own stated goals, such as liberty, equality or independence.

A third asks who benefited: American independence expanded political rights for many white men while preserving slavery, whereas Haiti abolished slavery but faced decades of international isolation. A fourth considers long-term legacy, since France's ideals spread across Europe even after Napoleon's defeat. Historians caution against judging the past only by present standards, yet they also note that people at the time, including the excluded, often judged revolutions by their promises.