The wave of insurrection passed, leaving little change in the condition of the working class. Inertia in the scales of history weighs more heavily than change. Four hundred years were to elapse before the descendants of the Maillotins seized the Bastille.
The insurrection that occurred brought no significant improvement to the lives of the working class. Despite the unrest, the course of history remained largely unchanged, suggesting that meaningful progress is often slow and difficult to achieve. Tuchman emphasizes the persistent struggles faced by the lower classes, indicating that their plight was continued through time.
The author notes that it would take nearly four centuries before the descendants of the Maillotins, who had risen up in earlier times, would finally make a dramatic stand by storming the Bastille. This highlights the enduring nature of social and political realities, where movements for change may take generations to manifest in substantial reform.
