The years between the American Revolution of 1776, the French Revolution of 1789 and the European Revolutions of 1848 saw fundamental shifts from autocracy to emerging democracy. It is a vital period in what may be termed 'modernity': that is of the western societies that are increasingly industrial, capitalist and liberal democratic. Unsurprisingly, these years of stress and transition produced some significant reflections on politics and society.This indispensable introductory text considers how a cluster of key thinkers viewed the global political upheavals and social changes of their time, covering the work of: - Edmund Burke- Georg Hegel- Thomas Paine- Alexis de Tocqueville- Jeremy Bentham- Karl Marx and Friedrich EngelsLively and approachable, it is essential reading for anyone with an interest in modern history, political history or political thought