Gerüchte verbreiteten sich wie Viren. Die französische Revolution hat es bewiesen. Zwischen dem 20. und 6. August 1789 mobilisierten die Bauern in ganz Frankreich mit einer atemberaubenden Geschwindigkeit nach unwahren Gerüchten über eine aristokratische Verschwörung, um absichtlich einen Großteil der Bevölkerung auszuhungern

It’s hard to contain misinformation once enough people believe it. A conspiracy theory spreads exponentially regardless of its accuracy, making it that much more likely to translate into real violence. According to a study published August 27 in the journal Nature, these situations can (and should) be geographically mapped with the same models that epidemiologists use to track diseases. And as an example, researchers turned to one of history’s most famous moments of misinformation.

What was the Great Fear of 1789?
The Great Fear of 1789 was a major chapter in the French Revolution and a defining moment in modern history. Between July 20 and August 6, peasants across France mobilized at a stunning speed following untrue rumors of an aristocratic plot to intentionally starve out much of the population.

Initial reports claimed that armed militias burned hundreds of wealthy landowners’ homes and manors. However, subsequent evidence shows that in most cases, rioters simply left letters declaring the dissolution of feudal privileges. The violence was never indiscriminate, and less than 20 people are believed to have died during the uprisings. On August 4, the situation culminated when the National Assembly officially retracted feudal rights. This bold action helped energize the wider French Revolution, and laid the groundwork for the expansion of democratic governance.

[https://www.nature.com/articles/s41586-025-09392-2](https://www.nature.com/articles/s41586-025-09392-2)