Revel began his career as a philosophy professor, and taught in French Algeria, Italy and Mexico before settling in Lille.
He stopped teaching in 1963 and embarked on his career as an essayist and writer as well as directing various publications.
From 1998 to 2006, he was president of the Institut d'Histoire Sociale.
His successor is Emmanuel Le Roy Ladurie.
In 1986, Revel was honored with an honorary doctorate degree for his commitment to individual freedom.

A socialist until the late 1960s, Revel was a speechwriter for socialist President François Mitterrand and ran as a socialist candidate in parliamentary elections in 1967 but lost.
During the Cold War, Revel was known as a champion of classical liberal values such as liberty and democracy at a time when many pre-eminent European intellectuals praised Communism or Maoism.
 The publication of his 1970 book, Without Marx or Jesus: The New American Revolution Has Begun signalled the transition of his views to liberal "philosopher of freedom in the tradition of Raymond Aron."
In 1973, he was one of the signers of the Humanist Manifesto II.
Revel began his career as a philosophy professor, and taught in French Algeria, Italy and Mexico before settling in Lille. He stopped teaching in 1963 and embarked on his career as an essayist and writer as well as directing various publications. From 1998 to 2006, he was president of the Institut d'Histoire Sociale. His successor is Emmanuel Le Roy Ladurie. In 1986, Revel was honored with an honorary doctorate degree for his commitment to individual freedom.
A socialist until the late 1960s, Revel was a speechwriter for socialist President François Mitterrand and ran as a socialist candidate in parliamentary elections in 1967 but lost. During the Cold War, Revel was known as a champion of classical liberal values such as liberty and democracy at a time when many pre-eminent European intellectuals praised Communism or Maoism.  The publication of his 1970 book, Without Marx or Jesus: The New American Revolution Has Begun signalled the transition of his views to liberal "philosopher of freedom in the tradition of Raymond Aron." In 1973, he was one of the signers of the Humanist Manifesto II.
Jean-François Revel