Class IX - French Revolution NCERT Exercise

Class IX - French Revolution
NCERT Exercise
Q.1. Describe the circumstances leading to the outbreak of revolutionary protest in France.

Ans. Louis XVI of the Bourbon family of kings ascended the throne of France in 1774. Upon his accession he found that his treasury was empty. Long wars with Britain, the cost of maintaining an extravagant court at the immense palace of Versailles, cost of maintaining a regular army, court, running government offices, etc., had depleted the treasury. Louis XVI was forced to increase taxes. But this measure would not have sufficed as taxes were paid only by the third estate in the society.

The French society during this time was divided as :

Peasants made up about 90% of the population. However, very few owned land. About 60% of the land was owned by nobles, the church and the richer members of the third estate. The members of the first two estates enjoyed privileges and paid no taxes. The peasants had to pay the taxes, render services, serve in the army and work in the lord’s house and fields. The Third Estate had to pay taxes such as tithes to the church, taille, a direct tax and many other indirect taxes.

The population of France also increased from 23 million in 1715 to 28 million in 1789. Food grains were now in great demand. Price of bread shot up. The supply could not match with the need and hence the subsistence crisis.

The 18th century witnessed the emergence of social groups, termed the middle class, who earned their wealth through an expanding overseas trade and from the manufacture of goods such as woollen and silk textiles. In addition the third estate included professionals such as lawyers or administrative officials. All these people were educated and believed that no group in society should be given privileges by birth. Such ideas which spoke of freedom and equal laws and opportunities for all were put forward by philosophers such as Voltaire and Rousseau. The ideas of these philosophers were discussed intensively in salons and coffee houses and spread among people through books and newspapers and even through loud reading for people

who could not read or write. The news about imposing further taxes generated anger and protest against the system of privileges. The king had to increase the taxes for various reasons. But how could he do it? He could not impose taxes according to his will alone. He had to call a meeting of the Estates General which

then would pass the proposals for new taxes. The assembly of the Estates General was called on 5th May 1789. Voting in the Estates General had been conducted according to the principle that each estate

had one vote. Members of the third estate demanded that voting now be conducted by the assembly as a whole, where each member would have one vote. This was according to the democratic principles put forward by philosophers. The king rejected this proposal and the members of the third estate walked out of the Assembly. On 20th June, the members of the third estate assembled in the hall of an indoor tennis court

in the grounds of Versailles. They declared themselves as a National Assembly. They were led by Mirabeau and Abbé Sieyés. At this time, France went through a severe winter and the price of bread increased. Women were angry and annoyed. They stormed into shops for bread. At the same time, the king ordered troops to move into Paris. On 14 July the agitated crowd stormed the Bastille. This is taken as the beginning of the French Revolution and is known as the storming of the Bastille.

Q.2. Which groups of French society benefitted from the revolution? Which groups were forced to relinquish power? Which sections of society would have been disappointed with the outcome of the revolution?

Ans. The common men (Third Estate) benefitted from the Revolution because they gained equal socio-economic status and liberty. The clergy and nobility were forced to relinquish power. Their privileges were taken away. The moderates who wanted Constitutional Monarchy were disappointed because ultimately Napolian came to power.

Q.3. Describe the legacy of the French Revolution for the peoples of the world during the nineteenth and twentieth centuries. 

Ans. The French Revolution not only affected France and changed its entire social and political system; it also had a lasting effect on the people of Europe in the 19th century. It inspired the Germans, Italians, and Austrians to overthrow their oppressive regimes. It led to a decade of political changes and Europe saw many revolutions inspired by the French Revolution. The watchwords of the French Revolution such as liberty, equality and fraternity reflected the coming of a new democratic and social order in Europe and the world. The French Revolution inspired the struggling nations of Asia and Africa who were groaning

under the oppression of colonialism. Many a nation aspiring for liberty sought inspiration from its ideas of liberty, equality and fraternity. India’s struggle for independence was inspired by the ideas of the great French philosophers like Voltaire and Rousseau and fired by the ideas expressed in the Rights of Man (1789).

The French Revolution put into practice the idea that sovereignty comes from the people, from below and not from above. A Greek guerrilla chieftain who led a revolt against the Turkish landlords in 1821 wrote :

“According to my judgement, the French Revolution opened the eyes of the world. The nations knew nothing before, and the people thought the kings were Gods upon the earth and they were bound to say that whatever they did was well done. In the present change it is more difficult to rule the people.”

Q.4. The French Revolution opened the eyes of the world to a profound social revolution. It marked the beginning, for the first time in history, of active and institutionalised mass participation in the government. The revolution led to many “isms.” Explain.

Ans. (a) Nationalism :  Nationalism  led to many new nations emerging in Europe, Asia and Africa. A nation now no longer was the king’s territory or his subjects. Rather, it now comprised citizens “who inhabited a common territory, possessed a voice in their common government and were conscious of their common heritage and their common interests.”

(b) Liberalism :  The main feature of this was emancipation of the individual from class, corporate or governmental restraint. It was the second great doctrine (a gift of the French Revolution) to impact the world. The Declaration of the Rights of Man asserted the liberty of the individual. That no authority could rule over the individuals in an arbitrary manner, was the message given. The Declaration stressed that all men are to be treated as equal before the law and that humanity implied fraternity among different peoples. The Declaration of Rights of Man inspired and guided many newly independent nations to frame their constitutions based on similar principles. The Indian constitution has borrowed a lot from it and liberty, equality and fraternity are included in the Preamble to our Constitution.

(c) Socialism : Liberalism emphasises the individual and his or her rights; socialism, on the other hand, emphasises the community and its collective welfare. This was also a result of the work of sans culottes during the Revolution. It promoted a society designed to promote collective well-being rather than individual profit. This was the main feature of the Russian Revolution which took place later.

Q.5. Draw up a list of democratic rights we enjoy today whose origins could be traced to the French Revolution.

Ans. The rights we enjoy today are the rights of liberty, equality and fraternity.

Q.6. Would you agree with the view that the message of universal rights was beset with contradictions? Explain.

Ans. The message of universal rights was beset with contradictions. The universal rights lay emphasis on the inalienable rights of man which mention property as one right which no government can ensure. Property will be owned by some and not by all. Even the ownership cannot be an equal division for all. The Declaration also says that all citizens have the right to participate in the formation of laws, personally or through their representatives. All citizens are equal before it. But for this a country must have free and fair elections which does not happen everywhere. The universal rights also say that every citizen may speak, write and print freely. For this there must be freedom of press which in many governments is restricted.

Q.7. How would you explain the rise of Napoleon?

Ans. The fall of the Jacobin government allowed the wealthier middle classes to seize power. A new constitution was introduced which denied the vote to non-propertied sections of society. It provided for two elected legislative councils. These then appointed a Directory, an executive made up of five members. This was meant as a safeguard against the concentration of power in a one-man executive as under the Jacobins. However, the Directors often clashed with the legislative councils, who then sought to dismiss them. The political instability of the Directory paved the way for the rise of a military dictator, Napoleon Bonaparte.