Notes of The French Revolution

In 1789, in the wake of early morning, the city of Paris was in a state of alarm. Rumours spread that
the King would open fire upon the citizens. People started gathering and they started breaking a
number of government buildings in search of arms. The commander of the Bastille was killed in the
armed fight and the prisoners were released. People hated the Bastille as it stood for the despotic
power of the king. People protested against the high price of bread. A new chain of events began
which led to the execution of the King in France.
French Society During the Late Eighteenth Century
Louis XVI, in 1774, ascended the throne of France. Financial France was drained because of the war.
France, Under Louis XVI, helped the thirteen American colonies to gain their independence from
Britain. Taxes were increased to meet regular expenses, such as the cost of maintaining an army, the
court, running government offices or universities. The country of France was divided into three
estates in the eighteenth century. The feudal system was part of the society estates dated back to the
Middle Ages. 90 percent of the population was dominated by peasants but only a small number of
them owned the land they cultivated. 60 percent was owned by nobles, the Church and other richer
members of the third estate. The clergy and the nobility, members of the first two estates enjoyed
certain privileges by birth. These groups of members were exempted from paying taxes and enjoyed
feudal privileges. All members of the third estate had to pay taxes to the state which included a direct
tax, called taille, and a number of indirect taxes which were levied on articles of everyday
consumption like salt or tobacco.
The Struggle to Survive
Increase in population led to a rapid increase for food grains. Production of grains could not keep pace
with the demand due to which the price of bread rose rapidly. Due to low wages paid to the labourers
the gap between the poor and the rich widened. Things became worse whenever drought or hail
reduced the harvest.
A Growing Middle Class Envisages an End to Privileges
Peasants used to participate in revolts against taxes and food scarcity. Group of the third estate had
become prosperous and had access to education and new ideas. In the eighteenth century, new social
groups emerged, termed the middle class, who earned their wealth through expanding overseas trade
and by manufacturing woollen and silk textiles that were either exported or bought by the richer
members of society. The third estate included professions such as lawyers or administrative officials.
A person’s social position was dependent on their merit.
All these groups were educated and believed that no group in society should be privileged by birth.
Rather, a person’s social position must depend on his merit. A new form of government was proposed
by Rousseau based on a social contract between people and their representatives.
Similarly, Montesquieu proposed a division of power within the government between the legislative,
the executive and the judiciary. In the USA, this model of government was put into force. Louis Louis
XVI planned to impose further taxes to meet the expenses.
The Outbreak of the Revolution
In France, the monarch didn’t have the power to impose taxes. They had to call a meeting of the
Estates-General, a political body to which the three estates sent their representatives, to pass proposals
for new taxes. Louis XVI, on 5 May 1789, called an assembly to pass proposals for new taxes.
Representatives from the first and second estates were present and the third estate was represented by
its prosperous and educated members. According to the principle each estate had one vote. But,
representatives from the third estate demanded each member would have one vote. The demand was
rejected so members of the third estate walked out to protest. They swore not to disperse till a
constitution drafted for France that would limit the powers of the monarch.
Due to the severe winter, bread price rose and people had to spend hours in long queues. Rumours
spread that the lords of the manor hired bands of brigands to destroy the ripe crops. In fear, peasants
started looting hoarded grain and burnt down documents containing records of manorial dues. Nobles
fled from their homes. Louis XVI accorded recognition to the National Assembly and accepted the
principle that his powers would from now on be checked by a constitution. The Assembly passed a
decree abolishing the feudal system of obligations and taxes on 4 August 1789. Tithes were abolished
and lands owned by the Church were confiscated.
France Becomes a Constitutional Monarchy
In 1791, The National Assembly completed the draft of the constitution and its main object was to
limit the powers of the monarch. These powers were now separated and assigned to different
institutions – the legislature, executive and judiciary. France became a constitutional monarchy.
Citizens voted for a group of electors, who in turn chose the Assembly, but unfortunately, not every
citizen had the right to vote. Men above 25 years of age who paid taxes equal to at least 3 days of a
labourer’s wage were entitled to vote. The Constitution began with a Declaration of the Rights of Man
and Citizen. Rights such as the right to life, freedom of speech, freedom of opinion, equality before
law, were established as ‘natural and inalienable’ rights, that is, they belonged to each human being
by birth and could not be taken away.
France Abolishes Monarchy and Becomes a Republic
In April 1792, the National Assembly voted for a war against Prussia and Austria. Marseillaise
became the national anthem of France. While men were away fighting at the war, women took care of
their families. Large sections of the population demanded that the revolution had to be carried further,
as the Constitution of 1791 gave political rights only to the richer sections of society. Political clubs
were formed and among them, Jacobins became the most successful club. Members of the Jacobin
club included small shopkeepers, artisans such as shoemakers, pastry cooks, watch-makers, printers,
as well as servants and daily-wage workers. Jacobin members started wearing long striped trousers
similar to those worn by dockworkers. These Jacobins were called the sans-culottes, literally meaning
‘those without knee breeches. On August 10 1792, Jacobins stormed the Palace of the Tuileries and
held the king hostage for several hours. Elections were held and all men of 21 years and above got the
right to vote. Monarchy was abolished on 21 September 1792 and France was declared a republic.
Louis XVI was sentenced to death by a court on the charge of treason.
The Reign of Terror
The period from 1793 to 1794 is referred to as the Reign of Terror. People whom Robespierre saw
enemies of the republic were arrested, imprisoned and then tried by a revolutionary tribunal. If they
were declared guilty by the court then they were guillotined. The guillotine is a device consisting of
two poles and a blade with which a person is beheaded, named after Dr Guillotin. Laws were issued to
place a maximum ceiling on wages and prices. Meat and bread were rationed. Expensive white flour
was forbidden to use. Equality was practised through forms of speech and address. All French men
and women were addressed as Citoyen and Citoyenne (Citizen). In July 1794, he was convicted by a
court arrested and the next day sent to the guillotine.
A Directory Rules France
Fall of the Jacobin government allowed the wealthier middle classes to seize power. According to the
new constitution, non-propertied sections of society denied voting. It provided for two elected
legislative councils. The government appointed a Directory, consisting of executives made up of five
members. Political instability paved the way for a military dictator, Napoleon Bonaparte.
Did Women have a Revolution?
Women were active participants from the beginning which brought important changes in the country
France. Women from the third estate had to work for a living and they didn’t have access to education
or job training. Daughters of nobles of the third estate were allowed to study at a convent. Working
women also had to care for their families. Compared to men, their wages were lower. Women also
started their political clubs and newspapers. The Society of Revolutionary and Republican Women
was one of the most famous women’s clubs. They demanded equal political rights as men, the right to
vote and to hold political office. The revolutionary government introduced laws to improve the lives
of women. Schooling became compulsory, divorce made legal and they could run small businesses.
During the Reign of Terror, the government closed women’s clubs banning their political activities.
After much struggle, women in France in 1946 won the right to vote.
The Abolition of Slavery
Jacobin regime’s most revolutionary social reform was the abolition of slavery in the French colonies.
In the seventeenth century, slavery trade began. Slaves were brought from local chieftains, branded
and shackled and were packed tightly into ships for the three-month-long voyage across the Atlantic
to the Caribbean. Slave labour met the growing demand in European markets for sugar, coffee, and
indigo. Throughout the eighteenth century, there was little criticism of slavery in France. In 1794, the
Convention legislated to free all slaves in the French overseas possessions. Napoleon introduced
slavery after ten years. In 1848, slavery was abolished in French colonies.
The Revolution and Everyday Life
France during 1789 saw changes in the lives of men, women and children. Abolition of censorship
happened in the summer of 1789. Declaration of the Rights of Man and Citizen proclaimed freedom
of speech and expression to be a natural right. Freedom of press meant opposing views of events
could be expressed. Plays, songs and festive processions attracted large numbers of people.
Conclusion
Napoleon Bonaparte crowned himself Emperor of France, in 1804 and introduced many laws such as
the protection of private property and a uniform system of weights and measures provided by the
decimal system. Napoleon was defeated at Waterloo in 1815. The ideas of liberty and democratic
rights were the most important legacy of the French Revolution. Colonised peoples reworked on the
idea of freedom to create a sovereign nation-state.