"different from, having a revolutionary thought and then guillotining a few hundred people about it."
I think you'll find that neither Robespierre not Danton didn't actually guillotine anybody - others did that- ironically, both of them ended up going for premature haircuts!
It wasn't a comparison in action, rather - theoretical approach.
They were the theorists of the French Revolution.
Why are you belabouring this Al? - unless you think it isn't a good analogy, in which case, take it up with Timothy Neat.
Your MacColl reference is as worthy of comment as most of them are!"
Jim Carroll