Thread: Climate Change and our Land of Fire, Flood and Drought.

Rain is nice to see particularly in Tassie
Rains bring relief to bushfire-weary Tasmanian towns and fire crews

Originally Posted by DiscoMick

One theory is the French Revolution was caused by a cold snap in Europe which caused food crops to fail and hungry peasants revolted.

Yes, I think that's right.

When I was in first year uni I did a Meteorology subject - along with learning the nuts and bolts of climate and weather, the lecturer would regularly throw in stuff like that as a break from the heavy stuff. I'm pretty sure that was one of the events he mentioned.

Originally Posted by DiscoMick

One theory is the French Revolution was caused by a cold snap in Europe which caused food crops to fail and hungry peasants revolted.

Well, we've had a hot snap, and the coming grain season will be a shocker, so when do we start the Revolution here???

the dead fish down south will soon have visitors,, dead QLD cattle,,

Originally Posted by DiscoMick

One theory is the French Revolution was caused by a cold snap in Europe which caused food crops to fail and hungry peasants revolted.

I don't think that can be quite accurate - the French Revolution started in Paris - not too many peasants there. Hungry city workers, yes, peasants, less likely.

Another fascinating proposed contributor is that the French troops that fought with the Americans against the English returned in 1784-5, having seen that revolutions could be successful. And the costs of this war, which France funded by borrowing, were disastrous, and probably were the major factor in triggering the revolution (The biggest cost came from the disastrous siege of Gibraltar).

The French government was flat broke and squeezed the taxpayers as hard as possible, add a poor harvest, and a lot of hungry discharged soldiers who had been educated about revolutions..........

Interesting. Probably more than one cause.
Hungry rural peasants would drift to the cities seeking food and work.
Demobbed soldiers left penniless could revolt.
What's the modern equivalent?

I would think that the country folk would have been able to find something to eat much easier than the city folk by hunting and forraging .

Originally Posted by trout1105

I would think that the country folk would have been able to find something to eat much easier than the city folk by hunting and forraging .

Stalin sorted out the recalcitrant kulaks in The Ukraine by sending squads to strip the countryside of food and shooting any who tried to hide their tucker. Millions died. Ukrainians have not forgotten this.