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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