HISTORY RESEARCH PAPER

THE FRENCH REVOLUTION

Submitted by: Pragya Champawat Submitted to: Adv. Bindu Dubey

Course: B.ALLB.
SAP ID:81012018003

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 ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

I would like to convey my heartful thanks to my history teacher Adv. Bindu

Dubey who who gave me this golden opportunity to prepare Research Paper on
French Revolution. She guided me throughout the project. She helped me to
understand and remember all the important details of the project which I would
have otherwise lost. I am very much thankful to her for her dedication. Through
this research I came to know about so many new things.
I am making this project not only for marks but to also to increase my knowledge.

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

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  INTRODUCTION

French Revolution laid its mark in the world history. It resulted in major transformation
of society and political system of France lasting from 1789 to 1799.The effects of
French revolution were widespread, both inside and outside the France and revolution
ranks as one of the important events of history in Europe. .
During the ten years of the Revolution, France first transformed and then dismantled the
Old Regime, It was a period of radical social and political disorder in france and
Europe. The monarchy was abolished which existed in France before 1789, and
replaced it with a series of different governments. Although none of these governments
lasted more than four years. Other transformation which were enacted permanently
altered France’s political system. These initiatives included the drafting of several bills
of rights and constitutions, the establishment of legal equality among all citizens,
experiments with representative democracy, the incorporation of the church into the
state, and the reconstruction of state administration and the law code.
Many of these changes were adopted elsewhere in Europe as well. Change was a matter
of choice in some places, but in others it was imposed by the French army during the
French Revolutionary Wars (1792-1797) and the Napoleonic Wars (1799-1815). To
later generations of Europeans and Non Europeans who sought to overturn their
political and social systems, the French Revolution provided the most influential model
of popular upraise until the Russian Revolutions of 1917.
The French Revolution changed the world and even today the French people celebrate
the Storming of the Bastille on July 14th 1789 as their national holiday.

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  STRUCTURE OF FRENCH SOCIETY IN EIGHTEEN
CENTURY
The french society in eighteen century was divided into three estate.
The society of estate was part of feudal system
The three estates

NOBLES PEASANTS
CLERGY

Constituted 10% of population Constituted 90% of population

Privileged by Birth

They were Had all responsibility

exempted from of paying taxes but
paying taxes to the had no privileges.
state.

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 CAUSES OF FRENCH REVOLUTION

1. Taxation system: The church took its share of taxes called Tithes from the
peasantry class. All the members of three estate had to pay taxes to the state.
The burden of taxes was borne on third estate alone. This was one of the
important.

2. Political Causes: During the eighteen Century France was the centre of
autocratic monarchy. The French Monarchs had unlimited power and they
declared themselves as the “Representative of God”. Louis XIV was the
exponent of this view. By the Letter de Catchet, they arrested any person at
any time and imprisoned them. They paid no attention towards their subjects.
Louis XIV (1643-1715) of the Bourbon Dynasty was a powerful monarch. He
was an efficient, hard-working and confident ruler. He participated in many
wars. Louis XIV’s concept of unlimited royal power is revealed by his famous
remarks, “I am the State”. Louis XVI was influenced by his wife queen Marie
Antoinette who used to interfere in state affairs. Thus, the autrocratic
monarchy, defective administration, extravagant expenditure formed the
political cause of the French Revolution.

3. American war of ideas: Another long-term cause of the French Revolution

was the Enlightenment and its ideas. The American War of Independence (cf.
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 Chapter “The Emergence and Rise of the United States”) also paved the way
for revolutionary ideas, for example that everyone is born equal or has the
right to resistance against an unjust ruler. But many of these ideas and social
injustice had existed for a long time before the outbreak of the French
Revolution. Something must have changed in a relatively small period of time
5 10 15 20 25 30 35 40 which led to violent protests and finally to revolution.
These changes were the immediate causes of the French Revolution.

4. Economic Crisis: In late 1780’s it was beginning of a manufacturing

depression and bad weather led to serious problems. The number of
unemployed workers rose as well as the price for bread after a series of bad
harvests in 1787 and 1788. As a result, the poor were likely to suffer from
malnutrition and diseases, some even starved to death. In July 1789, those
urban workers who still had their jobs had to spend 75 per cent of their wages
on food. Peasants and townspeople even rioted and attacked the nobles’
castles since they could not bear the situation any longer.

5. King’s Financial Situation: Louis XVI was in dire financial straits because of
France’s involvement in the American War of Independence (the French
supported the Americans against England) and due to other wars that had been
fought less successfully, increasing the national debt. The royal court was
costly, civil ,. ;

 STRUGGLE TO SURVIVE

By the late 18th century, the perception of the need for change became a source of
political tension due to above mentioned causes. It was increasingly apparent that in the
absence of regular meetings of the Estates-General neither the privileged order nor the
commoners had a representative body to give them a political voice.

 ROLE OF MIDDLE CLASS

The 18th century witnessed the emergence of social groups termed as middle class who
may have means and programmes to carry out full scale measures to bring a change in
social and economic order and being educated they believe that no group should be

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privileged by birth.
They earned their wealth through an expanding overseas trade, from manufacture of
goods like woollen and silk textiles and professions as lawyers and administrated
officials.
They were inspired by the ideas of different philosophers and spread the same through
books and newspapers.

Some of the famous philosophers and their books Such as:

1. John lock – In his book Two treatises of government , lock sought to refute the
doctrine of the divine and absolute right of the monarch.
2. Rousseau- Rousseau carried the idea forward, proposing a form of a government
based on a social contract between people and their representatives.
3. Montesquieu- In his book Spirit of law, Montesquieu proposed a division of power
within the government between the legislative, executive and the judiciary.

 OUTBREAK OF FRENCH REVOLUTION

Political system under French before Revolution

 Meeting of Estate General

i. On 5 May 1789 Louis XVI called an assembly of estates general (a political
body to which 3rd estate that their representatives to pass proposal for new
taxes.
ii. The first 2 estates sent 300 representatives each, while 3rd one has 600
members who were more prosperous & educated. However, artisans,
peasants & women were denied entry to assembly.
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 iii. Voting is estate general has been conducted as according to past principle of
each state – one vote but members of 3rd estate demanded for each member
one vote philosophy.
iv. Due to rejection, they walked out of assembly in protest after this, they
declared themselves a national assembly and drafted a constitution for
France to limit powers of monarch, which was led by Mirabeau (a noble)
and Abbe Sieye’s (a priest).
v. Due to the power of revolt, law 16 finally recognized the national assembly
and accepted the constitution.
The assembly passed a law abolishing the feudal system of obligation &
taxes (tithes) and the members of clergy were forced to give up their
privileges.

 National Assembly
On 10 June 1789 Abbé Sieyès moved that the Third Estate, now meeting as the
“commoners”. Proceed with verifying its own powers and invite the other two
estates to take part, but not to wait for them. They proceeded to do so two days later,
completing the process on 17 June. Then they voted a measure far more radical,
declaring themselves the National Assembly, an assembly not of the Estates but of
"the People". They invited the other orders to join them, but made it clear they
intended to conduct the nation's affairs with or without them.
In an attempt to keep control of the process and prevent the Assembly from
convening, Louis XVI ordered the closure of the Salle des États where the
Assembly met, making an excuse that the carpenters needed to prepare the hall for
a royal speech in two days. Weather did not allow an outdoor meeting, and fearing
an attack ordered by Louis XVI, they met in a tennis court just outside Versailles,
where they proceeded to swear the Tennis Court Oath (20 June 1789) under which
they agreed not to separate until they had given France a constitution. A majority
of the representatives of the clergy soon joined them, as did 47 members of the
nobility. By 27 June, the royal party had overtly given in, although the military
began to arrive in large numbers around Paris and Versailles. Messages of support
for the Assembly poured in from Paris and other French cities.
 Stroming of Bastille
The Storming of the Bastille took place in Paris, France on July 14, 1789. This violent
attack on the government by the people of France signaled the start of the French
Revolution. The Bastille was a fortress built in the late 1300s to protect Paris during the
Hundred years of war. By the late 1700s, the Bastille was mostly used as a state prison

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by King Louis XVI.

Storming of the Bastille

The revolutionaries who stormed the Bastille were mostly craftsmen and store
owners who lived in Paris. They were members of a French social class called the
Third Estate. There were around 1000 men who participated in the attack. The
Third Estate had recently made demands of the king and had demanded that the
commoners have more of a say in government. They were worried that he was
preparing the French army for an attack. In order to arm themselves, they first took
over the Hotel des Invalides in Paris where they were able to get muskets.
However, they didn't have gun powder. The Bastille was rumored to be full of
political prisoners and was a symbol to many of the oppression of the king.
It also had stores of gunpowder that the revolutionaries needed for their weapons.
On the morning of July 14, the revolutionaries approached the Bastille. They
demanded that the military leader of the Bastille, Governor de Launay, surrender
the prison and hand over the gunpowder. He refused. As negotiations drug on, the
crowd became agitated. In the early afternoon, they managed to get into the
courtyard. Once inside the courtyard, they began to try and break into the main
fortress. The soldiers in the Bastille became scared and fired into the crowd. The
fighting had began. The turning point in the fight came when some of the soldiers
joined the side of the crowd. De Launay soon realized that the situation was
hopeless. He surrendered the fort and the revolutionaries took control.

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  REFORMS MADE AND RIGHTS PROVIDED TO PEOPLE
 Abolition of feudalism
On 4 and 11 August 1789 the National Constituent Assembly abolished
privileges and feudalism(numerous peasant revolts had almost brought feudalism
to an end) in the August Decrees.Also the tithe (a 10% tax for the Church,
gathered by the First Estate (clergy), which had been the main source of income for
many clergymen, was abolished. During the course of a few hours nobles, clergy,
towns, provinces, companies and cities lost their special privileges.
Originally the peasants were supposed to pay for the release of seigneurial dues;
these dues affected more than a fourth of the farmland in France and provided most
of the income of the large landowners. The majority refused to pay and in 1793 the
obligation was cancelled. Thus the peasants got their land free, and also no longer
paid the tithe to the church.
 Decleration of Rights of Man
On 26 August 1789 the Assembly published the Declaration of the Rights of Man and
of the Citizen, which comprised a statement of principles rather than a constitution with
legal effect.

The National Constituent Assembly functioned not only as a legislature, but also as
a body to draft a new constitution.

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  Drafted the First Constitution
Most of the Assembly still favoured a constitutional monarchy rather than a republic,
the various groups reached a compromise which left Louis XVI as little more than a
figurehead: he was forced to swear an oath to the constitution of 1791.

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Some of the symbols used in French Revolution

WHAT THESE SYMBOLS WERE FOR?

1. The broken chain: stands for the act of becoming free.

2. The bundle of rods and fasces: shows strength lies in unity.
3. The eye within a triangle radiating light: the all-seeing eye stands for
knowledge.
4. Sceptre: symbol of royal power.
5. Snake biting its tail to form a ring: symbol of eternity.
6. Red Phrygian cap: cap worn by a slave upon becoming free.
7. Blue-white-red: the national colors of France.
8. The winged woman: personification of law.
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 9. The law tablet: the law is same for all and all are equal before it.

 FRANCE ABOLISHES MONARCHY BACOMES REPUBLIC

(1) Louis XVI had signed the constitution but also he entered into secret
negotiation with the King of Prussia.
(2) Rulers of neighboring countries were worried by the developments of France
and made plans to put down their events. The national assembly voted to
declare war against Prussia and Austria.
(3) The patriotic song Marseillaise composed by the poet Roget de L’Isle as sung
for the first time by volunteers as they march into Paris which is national
anthem of France.
(4) The revolution wars brought losses and difficulties to the people. The
constitution of 1791 gave political rights only to the rich people of the society.
(5) Political clubs became important from rallying point of view in which most
successful club was that of Jacobins. Its leader was Maximilian Robespierre.
(6) Members of Jacobin club were from less prosperous sections of society which
includes small shopkeepers, artisans, printers, servants etc. they planned a
revolt against people of Paris. Later the assembly voted to imprison the royal
family and elections were held.
(7) The newly elected assembly was called the Convection. In 1792 it abolished
the monarchy and declared France a republic.

 ROLE OF WOMEN IN FRENCH REVOLUTION

Women were active participants in the events which brought about changes
in French society. They hoped that their involvement would pressurize the
revolutionary government to improve their lives.
Most women of the third estate had to work for their living. They worked
as seamstresses and laundresses, sold flowers, fruits and vegetables at
market.
Working Women also had to care for their families and children. They
were disappointed that the constitution of 1971 reduced them to passive
citizens.
The revolutionary government did introduced laws to improve their lives
by making schooling compulsory for girls, not marrying against their will,
making divorce legal etc.

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 During the reign of terror, the new government issued laws ordering
closure of women’s clubs and banning political activities. In 1946 women
in France won right to vote.

 ABOLITION OF SLAVERY
Slave trade began in 17th century; the colonies in the Caribbean- Martinique,
Guadeloupe and San Domingo were important suppliers of commodities like
indigo, sugar tobacco and coffee. The slaves were bought from local
chieftains. This was met by triangular slave trade between Europe, Africa
and America.
The slaves were packed tightly into ships for 3 month long voyage across the
Atlantic to Caribbean and there to plantation owners.
The national assembly held long debates for the rights of man to be extended
to all French subjects. But it didn’t pass any laws fearing opposition of
business men whose income depends upon slave trade.
Finally slavery was abolished in French colonies in 1848.

 RISE OF NAPOLEAN BONAPARTE

In 1804, Napoleon Bonaparte crowned himself as emperor of France. He
conquered neighboring countries, dispossessing dynasties and created
kingdoms by placing his family members there.
He saw his role as modernizer of Europe. He introduced many laws such as
protection of private property and uniform system of weight and measure
provided by decimal system.
Many saw him as a liberator who would bring freedom for the people but
soon his armies came to be viewed as an invading force.
Finally Napoleon was defeated at waterloo in 1815.

 LEGACY OF FRENCH REVOLUTION

The ideas of liberty and democratic rights were the most important legacy of
French revolution. These spread from France to the rest of Europe during
19th century, where feudal system was abolished.
Colonized people reworked the idea of freedom from bandage into their
movements to create a sovereign nation state.
Tipu sultan and Raja Ram Mohan Roy are 2 examples of individuals who
responded to the ideas coming from revolutionary France.

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  WOMENS ROLE IN FRENCH REVOLUTION
Historians since the late 20th century have debated how women shared in
the French Revolution and what long-term impact it had on French women.
Women had no political rights in pre-Revolutionary France; they were considered
"passive" citizens, forced to rely on men to determine what was best for them. That
changed dramatically in theory as there seemingly were great advances in
feminism. Feminism emerged in Paris as part of a broad demand for social and
political reform. The women demanded equality to men and then moved on to a
demand for the end of male domination. Their chief vehicle for agitation were
pamphlets and women's clubs, especially the Society of Revolutionary Republican
Women. However, the Jacobin (radical) element in power abolished all the
women's clubs in October 1793 and arrested their leaders. The movement was
crushed. Devance explains the decision in terms of the emphasis on masculinity in
wartime, Marie Antoinette’s bad reputation for feminine interference in state
affairs, and traditional male supremacy.
 HOW FRENCH REVOLUTION IDEAS AND CONCEPT PLAY’S
IMPORTANT ROLE IN TODAY’S CONTEXT?
It's almost impossible to overstate the importance of the French Revolution. Other than
the Protestant Reformation and World War One, the French Revolution is the most
important period in modern European history.

The Revolution birthed the modern nation state. It ended the last vestiges of feudalism
in Western and Central Europe. It spread Enlightenment ideas across Europe. It
reshaped the border of Europe. It led to the rise of nationalism, which would unify
Germany and break apart the Austrian Empire.

Almost everything politically we take for granted in the West today (liberal democracy,
the rule of law, government based on consent, the nature of civil rights and liberties)
would not exist without the French Revolution.

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