FRENCH REVOLUTION

Kirori Mal College

Delhi School of Social Work

FRENCH SOCIETY
(18th Century)
❖ King of the France : Louis King XVI
❖ Dynasty - Bourbon family
❖ Ascended the throne of France in 1774

❖ At the age of 20 he married Austrian Princess

Marie Antoinette.
❖ The time that Louis XVI ascended the throne,
France was going through a financial turmoil.
Financially France was drained because of
the war. France, Under Louis XVI, had
helped the thirteen American colonies to
gain their independence from Britain.

The war added more than a billion livres to

a debt that had already risen to more than
2 billion livres. .

Taxes were increased to meet regular

expenses, such as the cost of maintaining
an army, the court, running government
offices or universities.

And the King and the Queen used to

party instead of catering to the
situation!
Financial Turmoil:

Livre – Unit of currency in

France, discontinued in 1794
 Clergy – Group of

18th Century French Society- OLD REGIME

persons invested with
special functions in the
Everyone
1st Estate church. Exempted from
Else taxes. Privileged by birth.

Nobility - High Ranking

1st Estate people and families of
Court and Royal
Relations. They further
enjoyed feudal privileges

Everyone else.
3rd Estate Compromised of 90% of
total population of
France. Had to pay taxes.
Plight of Common People in Old Regime

1. Peasants were obliged to render services to

the lord.

2. The Church extracted its share of taxes

called tithes from the peasants

3. Third estate also had to pay taxes to the

state. These included a direct tax, called
taille, and a number of indirect taxes which
were levied on articles of everyday
consumption like salt or tobacco.

4. The burden of financing activities of the

state through taxes was borne by the third
estate alone.
 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.
Financial Turmoil:

Subsistence Crisis

An extreme situation
where the basic means
of livelihood/survival
are endangered.
 18th Century
witnessed the
emergence of
middle class

They had earned

These ideas their wealth through
envisaging a society an expanding
based on freedom overseas trade.
and equal laws and
opportunities for all,
were put forward by
philosophers
Also included
lawyers or
administrative
officials. They were
educated and
They believed that a
against the
person’s social
privileges by birth
position must depend
on his merit.
 Spread of Ideas
● French Philosophers were so influential that the
American constitution and its guarantee of
individual rights was an important example for
political thinkers in France.

● These ideas were discussed intensively:

1. Salons
2. Coffee-houses
3. Books and newspapers.

The news that Louis XVI planned to impose further taxes

to be able to meet the expenses of the state generated
anger and protest against the system of privileges.
 Ideas of Philosophers
John Locke- Two Treatises of Government
He rejected doctrine of the divine &
absolute
Right of the monarch.

Rousseau- Social Contract

Proposed a form of government based
on a Social Contract between people &
their representatives

Montesquieu- The Spirit of the Laws

Proposed a division of power within the
government between the judiciary, the
legislative, and the executive..
THE OUTBREAK OF THE
REVOLUTION
● Louis XVI had to increase taxes because of
the financial status of France during that
time.

● In France of the Old Regime the monarch

did not have the power to impose taxes
according to his will alone.

● Rather he had to call a meeting of the

Estates General which would then pass his
proposals for new taxes.

● The Estates General was a political body to

which the three estates sent their
representatives respectively.

● The monarch alone could decide when to

call a meeting of this body.

● The last time it was done was in 1614

 POLITICAL CLUBS

5 May, 1789:
Louis XVI called an assembly of the Estates
General

First & Second Estates sent 300 representatives

each & 600 representative from Third estates.

The third estate was represented by its more

prosperous and educated members.

They demanded that voting now be conducted

where each member would have one vote.

Proposal rejected by the King. Members of the

third estate walked out of the assembly in
protest
01 03

Peasants, artisans and On 20 June they

women were denied assembled in the hall of
entry to the assembly. an indoor tennis court in
However, their the grounds of
grievances and demands Versailles.
were listed in some
40,000 letters which the They declared
representatives had themselves a National
brought with them. Assembly

The representatives of the Tennis Court Oath:

third estate viewed They Donecdispense
● won’t risus dolor porta
until they
venenatis
themselves as spokesmen draft a constitution for France
● Pharetra luctus felis
for the whole French nation to limit the powers of the
monarch.
02 03
 They were led by Mirabeau (a noble) & AbbÈ
SieyËs (a priest).

Mirabeau Abbe Sieyes

Mirabeau bought out a journal & delivered powerful

speeches to the crowds assembled at Versailles.

AbbÈ SieyËs, wrote an influential pamphlet called ‘What is

the Third Estate’?
Situation in Countryside
 While the National
Assembly was busy
Often bakers exploited
at Versailles drafting
the situation and
a constitution, the
hoarded supplies.
rest of France
seethed with turmoil.
After spending hours
in long queues at the
A severe winter had
bakery, crowds of
meant a bad harvest;
angry women stormed
the price of bread
into the shops.
rose.
Events during French Revolution:
1

The king ordered

troops to move into
Paris
5 2
Caught in a frenzy of fear,
peasants in several On 14 July, the
districts seized hoes and agitated crowd
pitchforks and attacked stormed and
chateaux. destroyed the Bastille.

4 3
In the countryside
Freedom of the press; rumours spread that the
opposing views of events lords of the manor had
could be expressed. hired bands of brigands to
destroy the ripe crops.
Hoes Pitchfork Chateaux

They looted hoarded grain and burnt down

documents containing records of manorial dues
(Tax paid to big landlords by small peasants).

A large number of nobles fled from their homes,

many of them migrating to neighbouring
countries.
❖ Louis XVI finally recognized National Assembly.

❖ On 4 August 1789 decree passed abolishing the feudal

system of obligations and taxes. This was known as
AUGUST DECREE.

❖ Members of the clergy too were forced to give up their

privileges.

❖ Tithes were abolished & lands owned by the Church

were confiscated. As a result, the government acquired
assets worth at least 2 billion livres.
France becomes a constitutional Monarchy
 ❖ 1791- Draft of Constitution got
completed by National Assembly.

❖ Objective- Limit the powers of

the monarch.

❖ The legislature, executive and

judiciary. Separation of power.

+ Constitution

Constitutional
Monarchy
Monarchy
Absolute rule of
Limited Powers of King.
king
 TWO TYPES OF CITIZENS

ACTIVE CITIZENS

Men above 25 years of age who

paid taxes equal to at least 3 days
of a labourer’s wage

They had voting rights!

Passive Citizens
Remaining men & all women
They had no Voting Rights.

Suffrage : Right to Vote

The Constitution began with a Declaration of the
Rights of Man and Citizen.

Rights such as the:

1. Right to life
2. Freedom of speech
3. Freedom of opinion
4. Equality before law

were established as ‘natural and inalienable’ rights. It

means that they belonged to each human being by
birth and could not be taken away. It was the duty of
the state to protect each citizen’s natural rights
FRANCE ABOLISHES MONARCHY &
BECOMES A REPUBLIC
❖
❖ Louis XVI entered into a secret negotiations
with the King of Prussia.

❖ Before King could do anything the National

Assembly voted in April 1792 to declare war
against Prussia and Austria.
Reaction among French People

Thousands of volunteers joined

the army.

French people saw this war as a

war of the poor people against
kings and aristocrats all over
Europe

Volunteers sang patriotic songs

such as Marseillaise composed by
Roget de LíIsle.
The Marseillaise is now
the national anthem of
France
● The revolutionary wars brought
losses and economic difficulties to
the people.

● While the men were away fighting

at the front, women were left to
cope with the tasks of earning a
living and looking after their
families.

● Large sections of the population

were convinced 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

Political clubs became an important rallying

point for people who wished to discuss
government policies and plan their own forms
of action.

Most successful club was JACOBIN CLUB.

 Women too, who had been active
throughout this period, formed their
own clubs.
Jacobin Clubs
 Members from to
the less
prosperous
sections of society.

Small
Their leader was shopkeepers,
artisans such as
Maximilien
shoemakers,
Robespierre pastry cooks,
etc.
STRIPED
TROUSERS to
set themselves
apart by
fashionable
sections of
society
 They were known as
sans-culottes : ‘those without
knee breeches’
Red Cap
symbolized
Liberty! 1792- Jacobins planned a
rebellion with large number
of Parisians

August 10- Stormed the Palace

of the Tuileries, massacred the
king’s guards & held the king
as hostage.

Later the Assembly voted

to imprison the royal family.
Voting Rights : To all the men of 21 years of age
and above, regardless of wealth, got the right to
vote.

The newly elected assembly was called the

Convention.

21 September 1792

Monarchy was abolished

& France declared as
republic.

A republic is a form of
government where the Male
people elect the Suffrage
government including only!
the head of the
government.
Louis XVI was sentenced to death by a court
on the charge of treason. On 21 January 1793
he was executed publicly at the Place de la
Concorde.

The queen Marie Antoinette met with the

same fate shortly after.
Reign of Terror
● Period : 1793 - 1794

● Robespierre
followed a policy of
severe control and
punishment.

● All those whom he

saw as being
‘enemies’ of the
republic were
arrested,
imprisoned and
then tried.

● If the court found

them ‘guilty’ they
were guillotined.
The guillotine is a device consisting of two
poles and a blade with which a person is
beheaded.

It was named after Dr Guillotin who invented

it.
 Reign of Terror:
1

Laws placing a
maximum ceiling on
wages and prices

5 2
Churches were shut
down and their buildings Meat and bread were
converted into barracks rationed. Peasants
or offices. were forced to sell at
fixed prices fixed

4 3
The use of more expensive
Instead of the traditional white flour was forbidden;
Monsieur (Sir) and all citizens were required to
Madame (Madam), Citoyen eat the pain d’égalité
and Citoyenne (Citizen) (equality bread)
were used.
 Robespierre pursued his policies so
relentlessly that even his supporters began to
demand moderation.

Finally, he was convicted by a court in July

1794, arrested and on the next day sent to the
guillotine
A Directory Rules France
New constitution didn’t allow non-propertied men to
vote.
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.
Did Women have a Revolution?
From the very beginning women were active
participants in the events

Most women of the third estate had to work for a

living. These women did not have access to
education or job training

Working women had also to care for their

families, that is, cook, fetch water, etc.

Their wages were lower than those of men.

Daughters of nobles or wealthier members of the

third estate could study at a convent, after which
their families arranged a marriage for them.
 To discuss and voice their interests women started their
own political clubs and newspapers. About sixty women’s
clubs came up in different French cities

The Society of Revolutionary and Republican

Women was the most famous of them.
● Main Demand : Right to Vote for women as well.

● But Constitution of 1791 reduced them to

passive citizens.

● They demanded the right to vote, to be elected

to the Assembly and to hold political office.
 But the
revolutionary
government
introduced laws to
improve the lives of
women.

Divorce was
made legal, and Creation of state
could be applied schools,
for by both schooling was
women and men. made compulsory
for all girls.

Marriage was
made into a
contract entered
into freely and
registered under
civil law.

Women could now train for jobs, could become

artists or run small businesses.
Reign of Terror & Women

➢ New government issued laws ordering

closure of women’s clubs.

➢ Political activities banned.

➢ Many prominent women were arrested.

➢ Most of them were executed.

 Movement for Voting Rights &
Equal Wages

The fight for women's suffrage continued for 200

years.

Women across globe carried out international

suffrage movement during 19th & 20th century.

Finally in 1946 that women in France won the

right to vote.
Did Women have a Revolution?
The colonies in the Caribbean – Martinique, Guadeloupe
and San Domingo – were important suppliers of
commodities such as tobacco, indigo, sugar and coffee.
But europeans were reluctant to work there. This started
Triangular Slave Trade.
● Triangular Slave Trade

● Started in : 17th Century

● Between : Europe, Africa and America

● Objective : To meet the growing demand of

labour of European Plantation owners
From the ports of Bordeaux or Nantes to the African
coast.

Branded & shackled. Slaves were packed tightly into

ships for 3 months long voyage.

Then they were Sold to European plantation owners.

Exploitation of slave labour made it possible to meet

the growing demand in European markets
● The National Assembly held debates upon
whether the rights of man should be
extended to slaves or not.

But never passed any law, fearing opposition

from businessmen.

● Finally the Convention freed all slaves in

the French overseas possession in 1794

● Ten years later, Napoleon reintroduced

slavery. Freedom was misinterpreted as
the right to enslave African Negroes in
pursuit of their economic interests.

Slavery was finally abolished in French

colonies in 1848.
1. Negroes – A term used for the
indigenous people of Africa south
of the Sahara. It is a derogatory
term not in common use any longer

2. Emancipation – The act of freeing

The Revolution and Everyday Life
The years following 1789 in France saw many such
changes in the lives of men, women and children.
The revolutionary governments took it upon
themselves to pass laws that would translate the
ideals of liberty and equality into everyday practice

Declaration of
Abolition of the Rights of
censorship Man and
Citizen
Newspapers, pamphlets, books and printed pictures
described and discussed the events and changes
taking place in France.

1. Freedom of the press meant that opposing

views of events could be expressed. Each side
sought to convince the others of its position
through the medium of print.

2. Plays, songs and festive processions attracted

large numbers of people.
 CONCLUSION

In 1804, Napoleon Bonaparte crowned himself Emperor

of France.

Napoleon saw his role as a moderniser of Europe. He

introduced many laws such as the protection of private
property and a uniform system of weights and measures
provided by the decimal system.

Initially, many saw Napoleon as a liberator who would

bring freedom for the people. But soon the Napoleonic
armies came to be viewed everywhere as an invading
force. He was finally defeated at Waterloo in 1815.
 CONCLUSION

The ideas of liberty and democratic rights were the most

important legacy of the French Revolution.

Soon the idea of French Revolution spread across the

globe.

Colonised peoples reworked the idea of freedom

from bondage into their movements to create a
sovereign nation state.

Tipu Sultan and Rammohan Roy are two examples of

individuals who responded to the ideas coming from
revolutionary France.