What do all revolutions have in common?

Answer 1

Revolutions are never "popular." They can be "populist" in nature. And without an "idea" there can't be a revolution, because there is nothing to gain (ie freedom, liberty, equality, self-determination, democracy).

Populist revolutions in Russia weren't even plausible until the ideas arrived. By the mid to late 1800's, Russia had become a cesspool of thought with the arrival of largely French ideas. These ideas would combine, and recombine, and splinter away from each other, until there were large (not popular) factions representing the gambit of thought from Liberalism, to Communism, to Anarchism. Eventually, the chaos of revolutionary Russia would be crushed under the weight of Soviet Communism.

In America, most of what could be called "American Intellectuals" traced their ideas back to the ideas that came out of the Age of Enlightenment. In America, perhaps in part due to their distance from the UK, a significant number (not a majority) chose to revolt. It was, eventually, successful.

Back in France, where most Enlightenment ideas had been baking for some time; they saw the success of the American Revolution. And within a relatively short amount of time, the French Revolution would begin. The ideas were French, but until they'd seen the American colonies throw off the British, those ideas would be discussed with relatively no action.

In 1848, once again, the French would revolt against their government. However, in the time since the original French Revolution, the ideas had spread across Europe. On seeing the French revolt in 1848, Europe was set ablaze with revolutions including Hungary, Romania, Poland, and many others. It was a "revolutionary wave" effect. The ideas had set in, but people had forgotten that they could act on those ideas, until the French revolted.

In 2011, thanks to the internet, ideas have spread much faster. Tunisia, toppled it's dictator with hopes of finally spreading Liberalism and Freedom. This revolution in Tunisia, ended up toppling the government of Egypt, and has spread to most of the rest of the Middle East. We are currently, in the middle of another "revolutionary wave" effect.

Answer 2

Well I'm not sure which three revolutions you are referring to, but I'll tell you about the American revolution and the French Revolution.

Both were reactions to governing policies that citizens perceived as unfair, many of which rose out of economic strife.