French Revolution

The French Revolution

The French revolution was a seismic shift in the landscape of governance and society. It echoed the sentiments of ancient cultures. But also  nationalism echoed the sentiments that had long been simmering beneath the surface. But it wasn’t only overthrowing rulers; it was also a full scale reimagining of civilization itself. Think about it; people always were told who to follow and

obey by the rulers at the top- kings , queens and there court. Bu then came the huge wave of change that changed everything.

These ideas were not new. Just observe what Machiavelli wrote in his book “The Prince” during the Renaissance.  Machiavelli was according his ideas a true republican although we also must admit that he was in favor for a “one ruler government” , which is on the other hand a anti-republican idea.  The French revolutionaries did questioned who truly deserved to rule and insisted that government should be accountable to the people rather then ruling over them like tyrants.  Its obvious that we should be grateful for these rules because it was the foundation of our present democracy. But on the other hand it fueled a very strong nationalism which has led us to many wars because it can easily lead to superiority thinking.

The origins of European Nationalism stem from a complex interplay of pollical, social and intellectual factors which led first led to the French revolution and was later undefeatable because of the power and government of Napoleon. But it had also other influences.

I mention here a few for you. First  of all the Reformation that helped to erode the authority of the catholic church and damaged the power of the Holy Roman  Church. Also the influence of the “enlightenment” was there and also a very strong idea of popular sovereignty which was strongly promoted by philosophers like Rousseau, Herder and others.

The triggers of Nationalism

There are many causes of the  French revolution. Lets us just name a few.

First of all the lives of Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette.  France was a monarchy with the sole power of the king . In this case Louis XVI. Het had supreme power but this can only work well with a strong leader with a strong personality. But Louis XVI missed this charisma and he was a indecisive with less personality then his predecessors. This weakened his reign. Also a problem for him was that the court Versailles had between 3000 and 10000 courtiers and this needed strong management of the king to control possible troublemakers. Louis XVI was simply not strong enough.

Then there was his wife Marie Antoinette. She was a Austrian born princess who was suspected of profligate spending. This was also a aspect that formed the public opinion in a very negative way. As a result of this mood among the population the king the king was very quickly blamed for all failures.  This  brought him in the long run in danger.

But there was more. Louis XVI inherited enormous financial problems. Besides that The Seven Years war and the American War of Independence had France weakened.

Added to this France had a tax system that was not right for modern times. Many of the wealthy were exempt from paying taxes while the poor hadn’t enough cash to close the gap. These financial problems delayed also the adaption to the industrial revolution that had already in Britain with the result that France just fell behind.

But lets also look at how the French parlement  The Three Estates was organized.

●The First Estate were the clergy. Including bishops, priests and monks . They had much influence, owned vast amounts of land and had privileges like being exempt of taxes and were immune from secular law.

●The Second Estate was the nobility, wealthy families and landowners. The had high positions in the military and the church. They had many privileges like exemption from taxes and the right to collect feudal dues from the peasants.

●The Third Estate was formed by the majority of the population, including peasants merchants, artists and professionals.

But society had changed. The middle class represented no for 98 percent the Third Estate while they had the least power. The first and second Estate dominated politics and had the most power, while France had huge financial problems and the food prices were very high. There was simply enormous poverty. Change was needed and after much pressure the three orders were absorbed into the new National Assembly. But the fear for violence was still very intense.

Then it exploded on July 14 - 1789, with the storming by the rioters of the Bastille, but also burning the houses of the elite and many of them  fled the country because of “the great fear” that arose . As a result the old order of France was defeated and wouldn’t arise again. The world had completely changed.

Equal opportunity were now the keywords and the parliament adopted the “Declaration of Rights of Man and of Citizen”. It meant that the aim was that there would be freedom of speech, the Ancient Regime would end, and there would come popular sovereignty. But to draft a formal constitution was a huge challenge for the National Constituent Assembly. Specially because of the financial crisis France was in.

A turning back to the old situation was not possible anymore. The influence of the ideas of the Enlightenment and also people like Jean-Jacques Rousseau was to strong.  

The flight to Varennes

The flight to Varennes on June 20, 1791, marked a pivotal moment in the French Revolution. King Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette's attempt to escape was a disastrous failure due to poor judgment, delays, misinterpretations, and bad timing. Their intended counter-revolution plan backfired as they lost the support they still had, leaving the people feeling betrayed. This event only fueled stronger republican sentiments, ultimately leading to the abolition of the monarchy.

Prior to their failed escape, Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette resided with their children at the Tuileries Palace in Paris since October 6, 1789. Despite facing disagreements and constraints, Louis XVI still enjoyed a reasonable amount of freedom and respect. Escaping wasn't a pressing concern for him. However, Marie Antoinette, deeply affected by the revolution and fearful for her safety, felt differently. Faced with threats of kidnapping, she pushed for the escape plan and a potential counter-revolution.

Unfortunately, the escape plan orchestrated by Marie Antoinette failed miserably, causing the royal family to be viewed as traitors. This marked the beginning of the end for the monarchy. Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette were both tried and convicted as traitors, ultimately meeting their fate at the guillotine in 1793.

The reign of terror     

What followed now is the most violent part of the French revolution and resulting in the death of approximately 50.000 individuals.

First of all this was driven by a profound   fear for a counter-revolution. It all started when the national convention authorized   for the use of violence against what  was named as “crimes against liberty”. The radical Jacobin Bertrand Barière explained it before the committee of public safety as follows.

“Terror is the order of the day. This is how to do away instantly with both royalists and moderates and the restless , counter-revolutionary scum. The royalists want blood, well, they shall have the blood of the conspirators , the likes of Brissot and Marie Antoinette. It will be a operation for special Revolutionary Tribunals”

It was simply a swift solution to eliminate royalists, moderates and other counter-revolutionary elements. For this they created “Revolutionary Tribunals”. The thirst of blood ruled France in this period.

In other words not my idea of building a liberal society .

Maximiliem Robespierre.

 Robespierre was the most important leader during the Reign Of Terror. But first what was his background?

Maximilien Robespierre was indeed a significant figure during the Reign of Terror in the French Revolution.

Maximilien Robespierre (1758-1794) was born in Arras, a small town located approximately 100 miles from Paris. His early life was marked by tragedy, as his mother passed away when he was an infant, and his father abandoned him shortly after, leading him to be raised by his grandparents. Despite these challenges, he excelled academically, as his teachers recognized his intelligence.

Robespierre's political career began in 1789 when he was elected to represent the Third Estate of Artois at the Estates-General. He also held significant influence within the Jacobin Club, known for its radical ideas. In September 1792, he was elected to the National Convention. Robespierre gained popularity among the sans-culottes for his democratic values but faced opposition from fellow politicians who accused him of inciting violence and causing harm to the population.

Initially, Robespierre stood for republicanism, democracy, equality, and was influenced by the ideas of Jean-Jacques Rousseau. He also spoke out against slavery in French colonies and advocated for integrity and a lack of personal gain, demonstrating his dedication to the revolution. However, as the revolution progressed, his views shifted drastically. He became more radical in his pursuit of power, displaying a ruthless demeanor that contradicted his earlier principles.

A few of his measures in 1793 were.

-       The law of suspects. This gave a legal basis for for the terror.

-       The decree of emergency government which suspended the constitution and individual rights.

With these rules he evolved in a ruthless dictator. But lets not forget this was not a one man policy. There were many like him.

As historian Marisa Linton  very well said.

Robespierre`s politics have often been seen with the revolution itself. He encapsulated what was best- and worst- about the Revolution. He was tireless advocate for liberty and equality. Yet , to defend these principles he was prepared tp adopt te terror. Nevertheless, he was only one man, amongst many., and we may ask why it is that revolutionary ideology as a whole has so often been identified with this one man.

But also Robespierre was not the big solutions and he met his end and he was guillotined in July 1794.

However France ,but also the rest of Europe, had changed completely. It was simply a seismic shift on governance and society. The French revolution caused in the end huge change with the central demanded that governments should be accountable to the people for their actions. It also created a sense of nationalism that would in the end influence numerous movements around the globe.