Respectable Folly: Millenarians and the French Revolution

In this review of Respectable Folly readers will find a focused, scholarly study best suited to students and history readers curious about religion and politics in the late 18th century. Clarke Garrett's 1975 work argues that millenarian responses to the French Revolution were theological and interpretive, not merely social panic, and the single biggest reason to read it is its sustained attention to how individuals made eschatological sense of major political events. The book is valuable for anyone researching the intersection of belief and revolution and for readers seeking a measured historical interpretation rather than polemic.

Key Features

• Historical focus: The book situates millenarian movements in both France and England, offering comparative context that helps readers understand transnational religious reactions.
• Analytic approach: Garrett rejects simple explanations like mass hysteria and instead highlights the intellectual and religious attitudes shaping millenarian interpretation.
• Primary emphasis: It examines how prophets and religious interpreters used the prophecies of Daniel and St. John to read the Revolution as an eschatological fulfillment.
• Interdisciplinary relevance: The study connects politics and religion, making it useful for students of history, theology, and political thought.
• Period coverage: Originally published in 1975, the work reflects mid-20th-century scholarship and provides a snapshot of historiographical approaches to the French Revolution era.

Who It's For

Respectable Folly is aimed at undergraduate and graduate students, researchers, and informed readers interested in the cultural and religious dimensions of the French Revolution. The focus on millenarian ideology makes it particularly useful for those studying prophetic movements, eschatology, or comparative religious responses to political upheaval.

Readers seeking a narrative history of the French Revolution or a broad, general-audience overview of the entire period may want a different book; Garrett writes as a specialist and the emphasis is analytical rather than sweeping storytelling.

Pros & Cons

Pros

• Provides a clear comparative look at millenarian reactions in both France and England, expanding the usual national focus.
• Argues persuasively that religious interpretation, not only social forces, shaped responses to the Revolution.
• Useful for interdisciplinary study, linking politics, theology, and intellectual history.

Cons

• As a 1975 publication, some historiographical perspectives may be dated compared with more recent scholarship.

Specifications

Title	Respectable Folly: Millenarians and the French Revolution in France and England
Author	Clarke Garrett
First published	1975
Geographic focus	France and England
Subject	Millenarianism, religious interpretation of political events
Approach	Comparative intellectual and religious analysis

Our Verdict

Respectable Folly is a compact, thoughtful study for readers who want a rigorous look at how millenarians interpreted the French Revolution. Its comparative angle and insistence on religious agency make it a good value for students and scholars seeking a focused treatment of prophetic responses rather than a general political history.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does this book compare reactions in more than one country?
Yes, Garrett examines millenarian responses in both France and England to provide comparative perspective.

Is it suitable for undergraduate study?
Yes, it is well suited to undergraduates and graduate students studying religion, intellectual history, or the French Revolution.

Will it give a general history of the Revolution?
No, the book concentrates on millenarian interpretation and is analytical rather than a broad narrative history.