THE FRENCH REVOLUTION

Class IX - History
THE FRENCH REVOLUTION

1. French Society During the Late Eighteenth Century 

When Louis XVI ascended the throne in 1774, France faced a severe financial crisis. The help extended to American Colonies in their war of Independence against British had added more then a Billion Livres to a debt that had already risen to more then Two Billion Livres. To meet its regular expenses, the State was forced to increase taxes.

During the Old Regime, the French Society was divided into three Estates

First Estate consisted of Clergy, Second Estate consisted of Nobles and Third Estate consisted of the rest of the People. First and Second Estate owned more then 60 % of the land, didn't paid any taxes, enjoyed privileges by birth, nobles enjoyed feudal privileges. Church extracted taxes like Tithes. State extracted a direct tax called Taille and a number of indirect taxes. Members of third Estate made about 90% of the population, Taxes was borne by the Third Estate only.

1.1 The Struggle To Survive

Population rise led to a rapid increase in demand, production could not keep pace with the demand this led to the rise in prices of the essential items. The gap between poor and rich widened. Years of bad harvest led to Subsistence Crisis.

1.2 A Growing Middle Class Envisages and End to Privileges

Revolts against increasing taxes and food security was left to groups within the third estate who had become prosperous and had access to education and new ideas. Eighteenth century saw the emergence of middle class (merchants, manufacturers, lawyers or administrative officials). These were educated and believed that no group should be privileged by birth, a person's social position must depend on his merit, envisaged a society based on freedom and equal laws and opportunities for all. 

John Locke wrote 'Two Treatises of Government' - refuted the doctrine of divine and absolute right of the monarch. Jean Jacques Rousseau wrote 'The Social Contract' - proposed a government based on social contract between people and their representatives.Montesquieu proposed a division of power between the legislative,the executive and the judiciary.  

The news that Louis XVI planned to impose further taxes generated anger and protest against the system of privileges.

2. The Outbreak of the Revolution

Meeting of the Estates General - To pass the proposal of new taxes the meeting of the Estates General was called on 5 May 1789, last time it was called in 1614. First and Second Estate each sent 300 representatives, Third Estate sent 600 representatives, each Estate had one vote. Peasants, artisans and women were denied entry. This time Third Estate demanded each member of the Estate General to have one vote.The King rejected the proposal, Third Estate walked out of the assembly.

Tennis Court Oath - Members of the Third Estate assembled in the hall of an indoor tennis court and declared themselves a National Assembly and swore not to disperse till they had drafted a constitution for France that would limit the powers of the monarch.

Storming of the Bastille - Bad harvest, price rise, exploitation forced people to go against the government.On 14 July, the agitated crowd stormed and destroyed the Bastille. In the countryside peasants attacked chateaus, looted hoarded grain and burnt down documents containing record of manorial dues. Louis XVI finally accorded recognition to the National Assembly. On the night of 4 August 1789, the Assembly passed a decree abolishing the feudal system of obligations and taxes, assets worth 2 Billion Livres were acquired.

2.1 France Becomes A Constitutional Monarchy   

National Assembly completed the draft of the Constitution in 1791, it made France a Constitutional Monarchy. Constitution of 1791 vested the power to make laws in the National Assembly, which was indirectly elected.

Active Citizens - Men above 25 years of age, paid taxes equal to atleast 3 days of a labourer's wage. Remaining population (men and women) were called as Passive Citizens.

Constitution began with a Declaration of the Rights of man and Citizen.t was the duty of the state to protect each citizen's natural rights.

3. France Abolishes Monarchy and Becomes a Republic

Louis XVI entered into a secret negotiations with the King of Austria & Prussia. The National Assembly voted in April 1792 to declare war against Prussia and Austria. Thousands of Volunteers joined the army and marched towards Paris singing the song Marseillaise. Marseillaise - composed by Roget de L'esle later became the national anthem of France.

Jacobins - A political club which got its name from the convent of St. Jacob in Paris.Members belonged mainly to the less prosperous sections of the society. Their leader was Maximilian Robespierre. In addition to the Red cap that symbolized liberty, they wore long striped trousers, similar to those worn by dock workers. On August 10, 1792 Jacobins attacked the Place of Tuileries and held the King as hostage. Elections were held. Newly elected Assembly was called the Convention. On September 1792, it abolished the monarchy and declared France as Republic. On January 1793, Louis XVI was executed publicly on the charge of Treason.

3.1 The Reign of Terror

Period from 1793 to 94, when Robespierre followed a policy of severe control and punishment. All those whom he saw as enemies of the republic were punished. He issued laws placing a maximum ceiling on wages and prices. Meat and bread were rationed. Equality was also sought to be practiced through forms of speech and address, concept of Citoyen and Citoyenne were developed. Churches were shut down and their building converted into barracks or offices. Robespierre was arrested in July 1794 and on the next day sent to the guillotine.

3.2 A Directory Rules France

After Jacobins, Directory, an Executive made up of five members came to power. The political instability of the Directory paved the way for the rise of a military dictator Napoleon Bonaparte. 

4. Did Women have a Revolution ?

Condition of the Third Estate in France was never good. They had to work for a living , did not have access to education or job training, had to take care of their families, their wages were lower than those of men. The Society of  Revolutionary and Republican Women demanded that women enjoy the same political rights as men, demanded the right to Vote, to be elected to the Assembly and to hold political office.
Revolutionary government did provided relaxation to women (creation of state schools, compulsory schooling, divorce could be applied by both men and women, training for jobs etc.). During the Reign of Terror, the new government issued laws ordering closure of women's clubs and banning  their political activities.
Women's movements for voting rights and equal wages continued through the next two hundred years, finally in 1946 women in France won the Right to Vote.

5.  The Abolition of Slavery

Save trade begin in the seventeenth century. Slaves from Africa were brought, and sold to the plantation owners of Caribbean and America. Port cities like Bordeaux and Nantes owed their economic prosperity to the flourishing slave trade. The Convention in 1794 legalised to free all slaves from the French overseas possessions. Napoleon reintroduced slavery, was finally abolished in French colonies in 1848.
6. The Revolution and Everybody Life
Revolutionary Government pass laws that would translate the ideals of liberty and equality in the everyday practice. Abolition f censorship just after the storming of the Bastille, Declaration of the Rights of Men and Citizen proclaimed freedom of speech and expression to be a natural right. Freedom of the press also meant that opposing views of events could be expressed.