“Liberty, equality, fraternity, or death; - the last, much the easiest to bestow, O Guillotine!”
–Charles Dickens, A Tale of Two Cities
This month marks the anniversary of the French Revolution. Widely held as one of the most important events in human history, the French Revolution was instrumental in the rise of Democracy worldwide. The lesson that we can take in the contemporary time from the event is that authoritarianism has its limit. With regressive taxation being done on the peasant complementing poverty, there was a high chance that an anti status quo sentiment would develop. This was precisely the case. Through a violent struggle, the class struggle was changed and the previously highly exploited peasant class came to the forefront. Regardless of any means of state structure – monarchy or democracy – there is a boiling point for the limits of the people, which must not be reached.