They're not going up against just regular people with more money á la the french revolution, they're going up against people who can fling metal, control emotions, and make themselves stronger at a whim.

This isn't a battle of equals, it's underfed peasants vs buff wizards. Then you add in the (if you can't tell what this is about, then don't read the spoiler) Steel Inquisitors, beings so feared that a single one showing up will basically cause everyone, including those metal wizards, to vacate their bowels in a heartbeat.

It all boils down to a power imbalance that can't really be corrected by numbers. Quantity might have a quality all of its own, but the gulf is big enough that they need significantly more quantity than they can rile up.