Theda Skocpol’s Theory of Revolution

The article analyzes several ideas suggested by American political scientist Theda Skocpol in regards to the theory of revolution. From the author’s point of view, Skocpol’s attitudes are noteworthy both in terms of studying the history of political science and understanding the current state of “the theory of revolution” as a scientific direction. The author critically examines the classification of “generations of the theory of the revolution contributors” offered by J. Goldstone, according to which T. Skocpol belongs to “the third generation”. At the same time, the key provisions of Skocpol’s concept continue the ideas of the first and second generations, as is suggested by Goldstone. The author highlights the importance of the conceptual provisions related to the questions of social system failures and the reasons and consequences of revolutions in the context of revolutionary modernization.