FRENCH REVOLUTION

The French Revolution was one of the most dramatic events in modern European History and also one of the most complex. The date associated with the Revolution is 14 July 1789 when a notorious prision, the Bastille, was stormed in Paris. This date and event came to symbolise the downfall of the old order and the forced acceptance by the French monarchy of limited democracy. From that point onwards the pace of chan e increased and the French people and their institutions were sub!ect to enormous upheavals resultin in war, civil war, persecution, execution, dictatorship and economic chaos. The ori in of the Revolution was due to a combination of political, economic and social factors.

Unit 3

1. CAUSES F FRE!C" RE# $U%& !

1.1. $ !'(%ER) CAUSES
"urin the #ld Re ime there were a number of deep$routed problems that a%ected

successive royal overnments. These are the lon*(ter+ cau,e,& '. -R .$E)S () F ' #ER!)E!% A!/ F&!A!CE France before '*+, was an absolute monarchy ruled by the

Royal 'overn+ent

Bourbons. The authority of the French -rown was not limited by an elect parliament. However, althou h their power was absolute, .in s were bound by laws and customs of the .in dom such us .in s had to consult his council of ministers and advisers to ma.e law. /n '**0 1ouis 23/ acceded to the French throne but he was not a stron 4 ure with a dominant personality. B) %a0ation

,y,te+ /t was chaotic and ine5cient. They had direct

taxes as the taille 6land tax), which was only paid by Third Estate and indirect taxes that were levied on oods, no incomes as the gabelle 6tax on salt), the octrois 6this taxed oods enterin a town). 7any taxes were collected by o5cials who, under a system .nown as venality, had bou ht the ri ht to hold their positions. They could not be dismissed& corruption was vast and this resulted in the -rown not receivin an ade8uate income.
Ilustracin 1: Turgot

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#n his accession in '**0 1ouis 23/ was aware of many problems a%ectin the state9s 4nances. He appointed Tur ot as -ontroller$:eneral, who was in;uenced by philosophes9 ideas 6French Enli htenment). Tur ot started a reform pro ramme in order to chan e the tax system. Tur ot9s reforms provo.ed a storm of protest from the <parliamentaries=, and 1ouis 23/ withdrew his support and Tur ot left o5ce. >. FRE!C" S C&E%1 French society was divided into three orders as the Estates of Realm. The 4rst two estates had many privile es&

?. %"E E!$&'"%E!)E!% /t was an intellectual movement of writers and thin.ers. The movement 8uestioned and challen ed a whole ran e of views and ideas that were widely accepted. /n France they were .nown as the <philosophes= and they were writers rather than philosophers. The most famous were 3oltaire, 7ontes8uieu and Rousseau. They wrote on the problems of French nation& their attac.ed the -hurch and despotic overnments, althou h they were not revolutionary. They were critical of many aspects of the (ncien R@ ime, but not opposites.

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1.2. S" R%(%ER) CAUSES

'. %"E SE#E! 1EARS 3AR. Aince the 'Bth -entury, France had hostile relationship both with Britain because /t was a serious notorial rival and (ustria was a rival for the dominance of Europe. However, when Aeven Cears Dar 6'*BE$E?), (ustria and France were allies. Than.s to this war, France lost many parts of its overseas empire& -anada, /ndia, Dest (frica and some islands in the Dest /ndias 6'*E?). >. %"E A)ER&CA! 3AR F &!/E-E!/E!CE.

Fifteen years later, France intervened an (merican Dar of /ndependence to reven e Peace of Paris humiliation. France providin both 4nancial and military support to the rebels, however this victory about Britain cost a reat deal of money and French -rown became into ban.ruptcy. /n addition, French soldiers who had fou ht in the war had been exposed to ideas such as liberty or democracy. ?. %"E F&!A!C&A$ CR&S&S. "ue to wars and tax system, France was on ban.ruptcy. By '*+* ban.ers refused to lend the overnment any more money. 1ouis 23/ decided to convene the Estates :eneral at 3ersailles in 7ay '*+,. The .in hoped that he could ain approval for his plan to raise taxes.

2. S%A'ES F %"E RE# $U%& !

2.1. S%A'E 14 RE# $U%& !5S .E'&!!&!' 6)A1 1789(SE-%E).ER 17897
%"E ES%A%ES('E!ERA$ The French Revolution ori in was an aristocratic riot, because nobility and cler y had refused to pay more taxes, such as 1ouis 23/ ministers had proposed 64rst Tur ot and later Fec.er). The economic situation was so seriousness and 4nally, 1ouis 23/ convocated the Estates$:eneral. The E,tate,('eneral was an extraordinary meetin , where representatives of all three estates of the realm had to vote new taxes. /t was only summoned in times of extreme national crisis, and last met in 'E'0. The 4rst problem was to decide what method of votin to useG it was very important and they had two options& 'st #otin* 8y order& there was an only vote for each estate, so First and Aecond Estate to ether would outvote the Third and retain their privile es. >nd #otin* 8y head& this favoured the Third Estate, because they had more deputies.

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%"E !A%& !A$ ASSE).$1 (fter a period of deadloc. 6since 7ay '*+,), the dele ates of the Third Estate, on >? Hune, when 1ouis 23/ closed down the meetin , ;ed to a nearby tennis court. There, they too. the so$called Tennis Court Oath, pled in not to disband until they had written a constitution. Ao on >? Hune, the !ational A,,e+8ly was created. "espite Fec.er advised the .in to accept the Fational (ssembly votin , he i nored this ave away, advice and came down 4rmly on the side of privile ed orders. However, the day before, some cler y and nobles !oined the Third Estate, the same as Paris9 inhabitants. #n >* Hune, the .in and ordered to vote by head but he was movin troops& in some wee.s he had concentrated ''.BII men round Paris. /t was impossible to doubt any lon er that the .in had decided to dissolve the Fational (ssembly by force, if necessary. /n this desperate situation the (ssembly was saved by the revolt of the people of Paris. %"E CA-%URE F .AS%&$$E #n Huly '0th, Paris population, which was facin di5cult times due to economic crisis, became politically active and violent when a horrible rumour was proved& Fec.er, their favourite minister had been dismissed. The wor.in stormed the people of Paris a hated Bastille,

prison$fortress in the city, in search of weapons to defend the (ssembly.

The capture of Bastille, reinforced the Fational (ssembly which started to wor. in di%erent ways& 1,t& Fational (ssembly a8oli,hed the ,9ecial 9rivile*e, of the First and Aecond Estate. They did the August Decrees, which abolished feudal system. They could do all of this since the 'reat Fear, a summer violent riots by peasants. 2nd& They also adopted the Declaration of the Rights of Man and Citizen . They wrote the principles of the French Revolution& <$i8erty: e;uality and fraternity=. <rd& They started to write a constitution.

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2.2. S%A'E 24 %"E C !S%&%U%& !A$ ) !ARC"1 61789(179<7

C !S%&%UE!% ASSE).$1 By the end of '*+, France became a Con,titutional )onarchy, where the powers of the -rown were limited by a -onstitution. The Fational (ssembly 4nished France9s 4rst constitution in '*,'. The (ssembly did ma.e a reform pro ramme, too&

The reform pro ramme was made by bour eoises 6 Feuillants1), who only wanted political and economic ri hts to people who had money or properties and they restricted ri hts as vote. #pposite constitutional royalists, Republican movement emer ed durin those years. There were two radical tendences& Hacobines and -ordeliers 6sans$culottes) and one moderate 6:irondins). However, they were not the only. Fext chart shows you all political roups durin this period of the revolution&

'

Feuillants& -onstitutional monarchists.

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Republicans thou ht 1ouis 23/ was not prepared as constitutional monarch, and they were not wron & 1ouis 23/ had as.ed for help and he and his family tried to leave France 6on Hune '*,'). This incident is .nown as the =i*ht to #arenne,. Aince that moment, the support for a republic started to row, while the popularity of the .in declined. The deputies in the (ssembly did not want a republic, they feared that the declaration of a republic would lead to civil war in France and a war with European monarchs. From Huly 'Eth, the .in was suspended until the constitution was completed& France was bein overned without the head of stateJ $E'&S$A%&#E ASSE).$14 %"E >&!' ACCE-%E/ %"E C !S%&%U%& !. #n '? Aeptember, the Kin accepted the -onstitution, and the -onstituent (ssembly became into $e*i,lative A,,e+8ly. /t was made up by *0B members, elected between bour eois and nobility. There were no peasants or artisans. 1ouis 23/ had accepted that& < In France there is no authorithy su erior to the la!" it is only by #eans of the la! that the $ings reigns =. (t the same time, revolutionary events spread across Europe and many monarchs where horri4ed. 7arie (ntoniette9s brother, Emperor 1eopold // of (ustria and Frederic. Dilliam // of Prussia as.ed for the restoration of 1ouis 23/ to power. /n (pril, '*,> the (ssembly voted to declare war to (ustria. Dar created reat fear in Paris and 1ouis 23/ and his family were suspected of bein hostile to Revolution. French army was far from ready and the allies 6(ustria and Prussia) invaded northern France. /n late Huly '*,?, Brunswick Manifesto2 was publicated but it had an opposite e%ect& Frenchmen were infuriated and the Tuileries palace was attac.ed. People demanded for the monarchy overthrown, and /t was on 'Ith (u ust 6'*,>). Finally: on 21(2 Se9te+8er 1792 the +onarchy in France wa, a8oli,hed and a re9u8lic wa, 9roclai+ed.

>

The Brunswick manifesto& Brunswic. was the commander$in$chief of the (ustro$Prussian armies. The manifesto was published in Paris on ' (u ust. /ts main terms were& To ensure the welfare of France, and not to con8uer any French territory. To restore the liberty of 1ouis 23/ and his family. /f 1ouis 23/ and the royal family were harmed, the (ustro$Prussian force would in;ict an exemplary ven eance on the city and its citiLens. .y Cri,tina Sevilla

2.<. S%A'E <4 /E) CRA%&C RE-U.$&C 61792(947

'&R !/&!S5 C !#E!%& ! Followin the overthrow of 1ouis, the constitutional monarchists did not feel safe and they stayed away from the (ssembly and went into hidin . This left :irondins in char e. :irondins summoned elections 6all French men) in order to choose the new (ssembly, called -onvention. "urin French :irondins9s -onvention there were a power stru :overnment between :irondins and le in 7onta nards ?,

nevertheless the most important fact for this period was the trial of 1ouis 23/, 4rst, and then his wife9s trial. Both of them were uilty of treason, and both of them were executed. $oui, ?#& dead in the mornin of >' Hanuary '*,?, and his wife, 7arie (ntoniette on 'E #ctober. The Kin 9s death provo.ed European monarchies reactions but also a counter$revolution& the 3end@e Rebellion. JAC .&!S5 C !#E!%& ! #n Hune '*,?, Hacobins too. the power. They detained :irondins char ed to help counter$revolution and wrote a new -onstitution 6supported on social democracy, popular soverei nty, e8uality and universal su%ra e). However, the most characteristic for this period the time is .nown as %he %error. Between 7arch '*,?$(u ust '*,0 the Hacobin :overnment used execution and brutal repression to maintain survival of the republic a ainst both its internal and external enemies. Hacobins suspended liberties and they punished everyone suspicious of bein counter$revolutionaryG however, they sanctioned some social laws such us control of wa es and prices, or redistributed counter$revolutionary properties between the poors. /n addition, they closed churches, they established a new calendar and a new reli ion& Reason :oddess cult. #n '*,0, durin the summer, interior rebellions and the war were bene4ted France, and The Terror policies had 4nished with many population9s patience. 7any people were a ainst !acobins, and Robespierre and his -ommitee of Public Aafety were uillotined after -oup of Thermidor 6Huly '*,0).

Montagnards& The 7ountain$the name iven to Hacobin deputies who occupied the upper seats in the tiered chamber of the Fational (ssembly. They were called the <left= too.
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2.4. S%A'E 44 . UR'E &S RE-U.$&C 61794(17997

(fter -oup of Thermidor, conservative bour eoisie too. the control. They made a new -onstitution 6'*,B) which ave the overnment power to /irectory 6small overnment boardG most famous member was Fapoleon). They came bac. to the '*,' -onstitution9 principles. /n this period French army had some victories over European allies, and Fapoleon started to be the most important man since he was responsible for a coup d9etat in '*,, and he started a new era& Fapoleonic one.

2.@. S%A'E @4 !A- $E !&C E)-&RE 61799(18147

#n '*,,, Fapoleon was proclaimed con,ul. He protected revolutionary achievements, but he allowed the exiled return. He si ned a -oncordat with the -atholic church, and he made an important reform into French administration& he created the 9refect, 6a civil$servant which main function was to represent the overnment authority in provinces), he published a new Civil Code, and reformed the /nland Revenue 6Hacienda) and the public education system. /n '+I0, !a9oleon wa, crown a, E+9eror, than.s his reat military victories. He did not only defeat European absolut monarchs, but rather he did many territorial annexation such as Apain, :ermany or even /taly. Than.s to Fapoleon European map chan ed and revolutionary ideas came into other European territories, where feudal ri hts were abolished and reli ious and economic liberties were established.
%uro ean #a before French revolution

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However, Fapoleon9s army was not too much fair with con8uered populations& they stole many public treasuries 6E ypt) and they char ed population with taxes, causin re!ection riots and awa.enin nationalist feelin s. The most important patriotic riot was on 7ay '+I+, in 7adrid, when its inhabitants stared in a patriotic uprisin a ainst Fapoleon9s army, and still continue since '+'0 when Apanish inhabitants defeated Fapoleon9s troops. /n '+'0, Fapoleon was defeated in Russia and Apain and he left the power, but in '+'B he too. control a ain, only for 'II days, since he was defeated, de4nitely, in Daterloo battle. He was exiled into Aanta Elena island, where he died in '+>'.

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<. %"E &)-AC% F %"E RE# $U%& !

(s we said, the impact of French revolution was lar e. /t supposed the dismantlin of the

(ncien R@ ime in Europe, althou h Bourbon 7onarchy was restored on E (pril '+'0. However, this new monarchy was di%erent to a '*+, 7onarchy& the new one was limited by an elected assembly that had the ri ht to pass laws. The privile es of nobles and cler y were ended and the le al distinction between Estates disappeared. Even the 4nancial structure of #ld Re ime was abandoned, and it was replaced by a new one. -hurch lost ideolo ical power and lands, which were sold to ensure the national treasury. But there was a population roup who was the bene4ted& the bour eoisie. Dhen French revolution 4nished they were at the same level as nobility and they had overnment control. /n rou h outlines, we can summariLe the in;uence of French Revolution on the next chart&

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