"What key factors have acted as catalysts for revolutions throughout history"? Discuss with the help of different sociological perspectives.

1. Marxist model: Marx views revolution as inevitable due to pauperization, immiserization, polarization of the proletariat. The intelligentsia provides subjective awareness of the objective conditions changing them from a 'class-in-itself' to 'class for itself'. The revolution will establish a communist society.

2. Functionalist provide a limited view on revolutions and Smelser uses the structural functional approach in which structural conduciveness, openness of the society, bitter class antagonism, dissident elite, political bankruptcy, response of society to change etc results in revolution.

3 Theda Skocpol surveys historical instances of revolution and denies inevitability theory of Marx. Crane Brinton also presupposes factor like economic downturn, political bankruptcy, class antagonism and role of intelligentsia as main factor.

4 James Foran and de Fronzo also adds the dimension of response of world powers to revolutionary circumstances in Third world countries as an additional factor.

5 Resource Mobilization theory of Tilly emphasizes on need of various social, economic, human and moral resources for revolution.

(6) Revolution may be also the result of positive revitalizing change due to enterprising individuals - A F C Wallace.

(7) Revolutionary circumstances can be also sustained by organized leadership. ideologies which provide alternative views eg: Poulantzas - Radical Ideologies, ability of elite to organize sustained social action, charismatic leaders Weber etc.