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Is the Fifth Generation of Revolution Studies Still Coming?
Recently, several significant studies have been published on revolutions, various aspects of the theory of revolution, and revolutions of recent times—the 21st century. Some of these studies will be discussed in this review essay. These studies deserve the most careful reading and analysis, consideration of their strengths and weaknesses in relation to the aspect of research chosen by the authors, theoretical approaches, analysis of their methodology, or the depth of showing certain revolutionary events, which must be done. However, in this review essay, we will analyze these works from the point of view of considering the prospects of the so-called fifth generation of revolution studies. Of course, this generational approach is subject to criticism. For example, RaduAlexandru Cucută (2013) talks about generational deadlock and writes that ‘the generational perspective remains impermissibly flexible and elusive, ignoring the main paradigmatic debates within the field of study’ (p. 1107). Colin Beck and Daniel Ritter (2021) are also generally critical of this bias, which creates a false premise. They encourage us to look at ideas, rather than attributing them to one generation or another. There is a rational grain in this criticism. In no case should we limit ourselves to such an analysis or make the division into generations of researchers absolute. But, however, one cannot absolutize any approach as the only correct and true one. Each approach has its own advantages and disadvantages. Therefore, the main thing is to clearly understand the advantages and disadvantages of the approach and the limits of its application. In defense of the generational approach, which is based on an obviously very conventional division into generations, let us say that despite all criticisms, it has an important basis. This basis is a change in the forms and types of revolutions and world-system conditions over a period of one to two to three decades (that is, precisely the period of strengthening and flourishing of a certain generation of researchers and their approaches). Moreover, new revolutionary forms and types obviously require the need to theoretically respond to these changes. This turn in approaches to analysis and aspects of the study of revolutions largely determines the beginning of the rise of a new generation of researchers. But let us immediately note that the boundaries between generations of researchers are usually unclear, blurred; therefore, both the assignment of one or another researcher to one or another generation, and the very identification of a new generation are always debatable points (especially since the dating of the activities of generations differs significantly, see below). Thus, as we will see below, there are many different perspectives on the so-called fifth generation, ranging from the claim that there is no fifth generation at all (Goldstone, 2024) to the idea that the fifth generation was precocious and unfruitful, that it failed and faded (Allinson, 2019). Our point of view will be expressed below. Here we would like to emphasize once again that the generational approach, especially the discussion of the fifth generation, allows us to focus more clearly on the changes that have occurred in the World System in recent decades and on the characteristics of revolutionary events, as well as on what methods and directions will be most fruitful for the most thorough analysis of these changes.