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French Revolution
French Revolution, one of the major revolutions in European
history. The revolution marks a turning point in Frence history and in
world history in general. Forms of government, morals, ideologies, and
social development were greatly affected by it in all Europe and even in
U.S.
The beginning of the Frence Revolution in generally dated from
June, 1789. But the crisis in political and economic affairs in France in
that period was so great that social unrest, rioting, a and rebellion were
common for two years before. The end of the revolutionary perios was
marked by the establishment of the Empire by Napolean in 1804.
The basic causes of the French Revolution were rooted in the
rigidities of French society in the 18th century. Lines of distinction
between classes were tightly drawn, and opportunites for social
advancement were very few. The economy was not growing as fast as it
should have been. Then needs of an increasing population were not being
met. Governmet was inefficient and unrepresentative. Economic problems
made the heavy tax exempt but neary so, while the peasents and middle
classes were subjected to greater and greater burdens. Crops falied, and
trade was stagnant. The people could no longer be taxed, but the
government faced bankruptcy unless new revenues were found. The only
soulution was to tax the privileged classes. But they were jealoous of
their privileged posistion. Altought they were not completely unwilling to
contribute some additional taxes, they never understood how grave the
economis crisis was. They say the crises as only some form of financial
corruption that could be explained away by firing the king's finace
ministers. The libiral ideas of the French Enlightenment had been absorbed
by some of the clergy and the nobility but only by a very few. The upper
classes in France in 1789 were more jealous of their privileges then they
had been at any time in the 100 years before.
When the French aided the Americans during the American Revolution,
they only sent men and ships and guns but lent saubstantial financial aid
as well. As a result, the budget of the French government was thrown out
of balance. When economic depression in France made the every growing
debt even greater, the state seemed on the verge of bankruptcy. It was
necessary to vote new taxes.
The king's power was not as absoulute as he pretended it was, and
no new taxes could be decreed unless the king's edicts were registered in
the district courts, the parliaments. Their members were mostly members
of the priviliged classes and were always ready to oppose the king's
measures. Becuase of their continual refusal to register tax and reform
edicts, it was necessary for the king, Louis XVI, to find some other way
of legalizing his edicts
France had never had a parliament exactly like the British, but it
had a similar institution called the States-General. Unlike the British
institution it met very frequently. The last one had met in 1616. The
States-General was called, and it convened in May, 1789.
The States-General was composed of three houses, or estates,
calles the first, second, and third estates. The first represented the
clerfy; the second, the nobility; and the third, the middle classes. The
third estate contained as many members as the first and second combined.
When the estates met, the third estate wished to vote with the
first two houses. The clergy and nobility and the king insisted the
houses vote separately. But the third decided that it was more
representative of the French people than the other two estates and that it
was not fair to allow the first two estates so much power. On June 17,
1789, they converted themselves into a National Assembly, or Constituent
Assembly, and resolved to draw up a new consitution for France. The king
closed down the hall, but the members went to a nearyby tennis court and
there took an oath (June 20) not to disband until a constitution was
written. The pressure of public opinion was so much in their favor that
Louis XVI was forced to reconize them, as he did by the end of the month.
Bad crops and famine conditions contributed to the unrest. During
July there were spotaneous peasant uprisings all over France. On Jult 14 a
Paris mob stormed and demolished the Bastille, and old fortress housing
political prisoners. On August 4, the assembly, led by certain
enlightened nobles, abolished feudal rights and privileges with
compensation to owners. A few years later the compensation was also
abolished. On August 27 a Declaration of the Rights of Man, similar to the
American Bill of Rights, was issued. The new constitution was completed
by July, 1790, and the king accepted it. But Louis XVI's behavior was
never consistent. In July, 1791, he tried to flee the country in order to
reconquer it with the aid of Austrain and Prussian armies. He was caught,
however, and popular feeling ran against him. He now accepted a revised
constitution, in September, 1791, and the assembly dissolved. A
legislative assemble was elected, and it met from October, 1791, to
September, 1792.
The legislative assembly was dominated by the Girondists, who
wished to set up a federal republic. When the war broke out with Austria
in April, 1792, there was no longer any reason for tolerating Louis XVI.
He had plotted with his wife's family, which ruled Austria, and was now an
enemy of the state.
The National Convention, which reigned from September, 1791, to
October, 1795, was the government of the Reign of Terror. It was the one
that executed the king in January, 1793. The convention was ruled by two
committees under the domination of Roberspirre from 1793 to 1794.
Robespierre saw to the execution of his enemies and was rampant, war was
at the doorstep, and bread riots were common. The tide turned in another
direction, and a stronger executive power in the form of the Dierctory
(1795-1799) was set up. A five-man committe ruled the country. Meanwhile,
Napolean was making his name famous by his military success. Napoleon
allied with two directors in the Directory and with his btoher Lucien, who
was president of the Council of Five Hundred, and assembly under the
Directory. On Nov. 9, 1799, in the Coup d'Etat de Brumaire he
overthrewthe government. A forn of government modeled on the old Roman
type was set up. Napoleon was elected first consul for ten years. By 1804
Napolean assumed the title of emperor, and absoulute monarachy was revied.
Bibliography
Microsoft Encarta, 1997
Sucdus Som Sibro Universal World Reference Enclopedia
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