The Shift in Civil Rights

and Status Before and

After the French
Revolution

Ryan Celestine Jerry

Simon Olivia
•Social status structure before the
French Revolution

•Social contradiction and the need of

reformation

•Abolition of privileges and

reorganisation of power structures

•The change of rank and status system

after revolution

•The Reconstruction of Social

Hierarchy and Status in the Napoleonic
Era
Social status structure
before the French
Revolution
Clergy
aristocratic
ivilian
The Clergy
•Approximately 100,000 people

•Bishops, archbishops, local priests, monks,

nuns

•Controls education and health care

•Convents, Sisters and Affiliated Groups

The aristocratic

Political, military and legal spheres

Low level local lords

Advising the King and controlling military

and legal decisions
The civilian

•Urban workers, merchants and peasants, and

the bourgeoisie

•Paying various taxes and fees increases the

cost of living and inhibits economic growth

•Main support of the agricultural economy

Social contradiction and the
need of reformation

The prelude of revolution

 Overview

 At the end of 18th century, France, ruled by Louis

XVI, faced very serious financial issues. So, the king
need to held States-General to raise taxes. As a result,
this behavior also raise social contradiction. People,
especially who belong to the Third Estate began to
complain about the royalty. They think the king
overused his power. And they started to argue that the
tax system and the hierarchy is unfair. Enlightenment
Movement and the victory of Revolutionary War
influenced people’s thoughts. So, they were seeking a
reformation or a revolution. This is the situation of
France before the French revolution.
 The situation that people faced before the revolution

 1. High financial burden and duty

 2. Low political rights

 3. The influence of Enlightenment

Movement
The calling of reformation

 Their call of reforming economic system

changed into reforming political system.

 People hope to reduce the privileges of the

first estate (the clergy) and the second
estate (the noble), establish a fairer tax
system, and demand greater political
participation.
 The prelude of revolution

 These two parts depict the basic outline of the social structure
before the French Revolution and the main social forces that
led to the revolution, highlighting the contradictions and
widespread dissatisfaction among different social classes, as
well as the urgency of reform needs
The abolition of privileges and
the reorganization of power

Jerry
Abolition of feudal
privileges

 Abolition of the monarchical system

 Abolition of tax exemptions, all kinds of

exploitation of sharecroppers, and legal
preferences, etc.

 Issuance of new decrees

 Reconfiguration of power structures.

179
3
The reign of terror
of the
178 179 179
9 revolutionary 4 9
The leadership The French
Constitutional government
of the Hot Moon autocratic empire
monarchy
Party under Napoleon
Declaration on Human
Rights and Citizenship

 Strengthened relationship between

citizens and the State

 Establishes that the state exists to serve

its citizens

 Clarifies the rights of citizens to liberty,

property, security and resistance to
oppression
Reform of the Legal
and Judicial System
 The revolution pushed for the unification and
modernization of the legal system

 The implementation of the principle of equality in

the judicial system, including the right to an equal
trial before the courts and equal protection of the
law
Broadening of
political
participation
 The revolution paved the way
for the later expansion of
political participation

 Provides the possibility for more

citizens to participate in the
political decision-making
process
The change
of rank and
status system
after revolution
class
M The middle class was oppressed by the
nobility and the church and had a low
status.
W
N The middle class has gained more
P democratic and economic rights, and
its social status is also rising.
 The working class suffered
M oppression and exploitation and
lived in poverty.

W
g class

N
P
Industry and factories enable
them to unite and stand up for
their rights.
 M They began to own their
W own land and enjoyed some
autonomy, and the

N exploitative relationship
At that time, was
in order to solhe
financial problems,
abolished. King Louis XVI held a
to try to raise taxes. This unequal social
class
P structure has led to the accumulation of
France
public was under
discontent withthe
therule of feudal
government
autocracy, and the society was divided into
three classes
 M They use their professional
knowledge and skills to
W promote the progress of
society and play an important
N
ional class role in society.

P
Status of women and marginalized groups

In 1971,
The Declaration of
the Rights of
Woman
The plight of marginalized
groups gradully attracted
attention

the principle of anti-

discrimination
 ◆Equal educational
opportunities

Education In 1791, France passed the

National Education Law,
established the universal
education system and the public
school system.
 ◆ Cultural democratization

◆ Cultural freedom

◆ A series of cultural policies

Culture Lessons: We need to pay attention

to social inequality and the gap
between the rich and the poor, and
build a just sucial order, which is
condusive to social stability.
The Reconstruction of Social
Hierarchy and Status in the
Napoleonic Era
Napoléon Bonaparte

1769.8.15—1821.5.5
 The New Honor System and Social Mobility
A system of medals and A social promotion
honorary titles mechanism

Reward outstanding contributors in the Based on individual achievements, allowing

military, political, scientific, and artistic many people from civilian backgrounds to
fields. improve their social status.

Enhance social mobility and redefines the

standards of social status.
 Education Reform and the Status of
Intellectuals

01 02 03
Reorganized the French Encouraged the Influences
education system establishment of higher Promoted social class mobility,

Enacted a series of education laws

vocational schools raised the social status of
intellectuals and professionals,
and policies, gradually building
and laid the foundation for the
the framework of the French
Cultivated elite talents loyal to modern education system in
national education system.
the country. France.
Fiscal Reform and Monetary Reform
Fiscal Reforms
Aimed at getting rid of the heavy national debt and covering military spending.
Established a stricter financial management system and a more effective tax collection agency,
increasing the state's control over fiscal policy and institutions.

Enhanced the state's power & Contributing to legal equality

Monetary Reforms
Franc de germinal ₣
The ratio between gold and silver at 1:15.5..
The new French currency became one of the strongest in Europe.
 Conclusion
The French Revolution
Broke the strict hierarchy of the old society.
Abolished the feudal autocracy.
The social status of the middle class and intellectuals increased.
Social mobility increased.
Civil rights were guaranteed through legislation.
Bourgeois liberal democratic ideas were widely disseminated during the
revolution.

Napoleon's reform measures in politics, economy, culture and other aspects

eased the economic burden and political conflicts before the revolution and had
a profound impact on French society.
 References

Alan Forest. (2014). The Military Culture of Napoleonic France. Napoleon and Europe. pg. 43-
59. doi: 10.4324/9781315840383

Alexander Grab. (2014). State, Society and Tax Policy in Napoleonic Europe. Napoleon and
Europe. pg. 169-186. doi: 10.4324/9781315840383

Zhou Minjuan, Zhou Wenjia. (2015). Analysis on Napoleon's educational reform thought. doi:
10.13573/j.cnki.sjzxyxb.2015.02.020
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