The French Revolution

1. The French Revolution Background

2. The Course of the Revolution • Constitutional Monarchy (1789-1792) • The Declaration of the Rights of Man and the Citizen (1789) • October Days (1789) • March of Versailles • Flight of the Royal Family • The Civil Constitution of the Clergy (1790) • The Constitution of 1791

3. The Course of the Revolution • The First Republic • Elected National Convention • “Reign of Terror” 1793-1794 • Committee on Public Safety • Execution of Louis XVI – 21 January 1793 • Thermidorian Reaction

4. The Course of the Revolution • The Directory (1795-1799) • Council of Ancients/Council of 500 • Conspiracy of Equals • Coup d’Etat of Napoleon Bonaparte

5. The Course of the Revolution • Return of Absolute Rule • Life under Napoleon • Napoleonic Wars • Defeat of Napoleon

6. “A little revolution now and then is a healthy thing.” • Thomas Jefferson

7. France’s Problems • Series of weak and incompetent leaders • Very serious social injustices: Absolutism and Serfdom • Very serious economic problems • Extravagant lifestyles in the Royal Court • Nobility unwilling to let the middle class grow • 95% of population was destitute • War

8. Louis XVI • Wanted Enlightened reforms – not because he understood them, but because they were trendy • Turgot & Necker • Absolutism continued

9. Estate System • First Estate – Clergy • Approximately 0.5% of population (100,000) • Ranks within this estate ranging from common priests to bishops and cardinals • Many noble families had senior members of the clergy • Membership has it’s privileges • Roman Catholicism was only legal religion • Clergy had complete control over education and could censor books • Exempt from paying taxes

10. Estate System • Second Estate – Nobility • Approximately 3.5% of population (400,000) • Ranks within the estate: • Nobles of the Sword – descendants of warrior aristocracy who used to protect the peasants and serfs • With a strong king and modern government these people were no longer necessary • Possessed great wealth and special privileges • They held important positions in the government and armed forces • The richest did nothing at all • Income came from peasants who worked/lived on their estates

11. Estate System • Second Estate – Nobility • Nobles of the Robe – Their ancestors earned or bought a title and had the right to wear a noble gown • They were often the “nouveau riches” and were looked down on by older nobles • They were usually the most progressive and educated of the nobles

12. Estate System • All nobles were exempt from paying taxes: • The government tax • The “Taille” – (the land tax) • The “Vingtieme” (The income tax) The motto of the nobles was: “Let those who work pay taxes. We should not pay because we do not work.”

13. Estate System • The Third Estate – Peasants and everyone else • Approximately 96% of the population • Poorest estate, but also contained a growing middle class • Almost no rights or privileges and had to pay for everything

14. Courts • Courts were corrupt and very slow • There were 23 varieties of royal courts, manor courts and church courts • Each province had its own laws • Nobles could have cases moved to more favourable judges or deferred to the king • Nobles were spared torture, but it was used against the third estate

15. The coming of the revolution The government made revolution inevitable through the following: • A weak-willed monarch who was intent on saving his Royal prerogative • Corrupt, faithless church leaders • Aristocrats leading idle lives • A restless, ambitious middle class • A downtrodden, overtaxed peasant class • And inept, corrupt government administration

16. The Grievances of the Peasants • Most Peasants were sharecroppers • They cultivated other people’s land for a share of the harvest (usually ½) • Some peasants farmed their own land, rented land or hired out for wages • Most peasants still owed their lord some form of feudal obligation • Going back centuries, these were like contracts called “terriers” and were renewed whenever the land changed hands • Peasants were humiliated by these obligations and hated them – they were a huge burden

17. Grievances of the Peasants • Peasants paid the “Corvee” which was a tax on their labour to the lord of the land. Nobody else had to pay it. • “Banalites” was a tax on crops for the use of the Lords bake oven and flour mill, even if the peasant had their own • Even if the peasant owned land, he had to pay the local lord a share of every crop produced

18. Grievances of the Peasants • If the peasant sold their land, he had to pay the local lord a percentage of the selling price. • The lords could collect rents forever on any lands their ancestors owned hundreds of years before – even if they no longer owned it!

19. Grievances of the Peasants 8. Peasants hated the hunt – only nobles could hunt, fish or shoot game (a) A lord could ride across/through peasants’ crops or land while he was hunting • Peasants had to pay Church taxes on top of government and feudal taxes (a) The “Tithe” was 10% of everything produced on the land. It went to pay for the luxuries of the higher clergy.

20. Grievances of the Peasants 10. The “Gabelle” was the hated Salt Tax. Everyone over the age of 7 years of age had to buy 7kg of salt per year from the government (who had a monopoly) at inflated prices – whether or not they needed it.

21. Grievances of the Peasants • Peasants were too oppressed, uneducated and disorganized to START the revolution – but they backed it with great ferocity when it did come.

22. Government under the Old Regime • France had more than 40 provinces • There were more than 30 federal departments imposed on each province • Departmental jurisdiction was not clear and there was a lot of overlapping of responsibility • Decisions were often delayed for months or years because the King could not be bothered to make decisions • Corruption and bribery existed at all levels of government

23. France’s Economic Problems Became Even Worse • By 1788, ½ of expenditures went to pay the interest on the debt. ¼ went to pay for the Army and Navy • The Government was faced with bankruptcy • Their only real option was to make everyone pay their fair share of tax

24. France’s Economic Problems Became Even Worse • The Minister of Finance, Calonne, proposed drastic reforms: • Reduce the peasants feudal obligations • Reduce tax exemptions for rich nobles • Impose a direct tax on ALL landowners • Abolish the 3 estate system and local government assemblies These reforms would have – PERHAPS – saved them.

25. The King Was Forced To Act • He called the “Assembly of Notables” together (1) They rejected ALL of Calonne’s proposals and demanded his resignation • The King’s next Finance Minister – the Archbishop of Brienne – was also unsuccessful. • He appealed to the Parliament of Paris (a group of powerful judges) but they ruled that only the Estates-General could levy new taxes • The Court members were nobles protecting their own interests

26. The King Was Forced To Act The King saw this as a threat to his authority and began to act (a) The King dismissed the Parliament of Paris and had the leaders arrested (b) Mobs began to demand the convening of the Estates-General (c) In July 1788 King Louis XVI called the Estates-General to meet in May 1789 for the first time in 175 years.

27. May 1789 • The Estates-General met at Versailles • Almost immediately a dispute began over voting procedures • Traditionally each estate voted collectively meaning each estate only had one vote • The Clergy and the Nobles always voted together and out-voted the third estate 2-1

28. Estates-General • Clergy – 300 delegates • Nobles – 300 delegates • 3rd Estate – 600 delegates • The Third Estate wanted voting “by head” and hoped that liberal nobles and poor clergy would join them • The majority of the nobles and clergy were opposed to this and were unwilling to agree to their demands • The Third Estate refused to meet until their demands were met – the deadlock lasted over 5 weeks

29. Mid-June 1789 • The 3rd Estate seized the initiative and declared themselves to be the “National Assembly” of France • This was the first open act of rebellion • They scared themselves by acting. They called on the nobles and clergy to join them • They called on people to stop paying taxes as a way of showing the nation they were serious

30. June 19, 1789 • The majority of the clergy, lead by humble priests (as well as a few liberal nobles) vote to join the 3rd Estate • Remember that the Clergy was divided along class lines • June 20 – The nobles did not have time to vote as King Louis XVI took action – he locked the doors to the assembly room so the 3rd estate could not meet • It poured rain and the members of the 3rd estate got angry

31. To the tennis court… • They found an open doorway that led to an indoor tennis court – 600 delegates, some soldiers and clergy entered and remained there and many gave speeches to the gathered crowd • They took and oath – not to disband until they gave France a constitution

32. Louis was unsure of what to do • One week passed – he was no longer sure if his troops were still loyal to him • He gave in and allowed the Estates-General to vote by head • At this point, many people thought the revolution was over, but Louis was not ready to be limited by a constitution.

33. Louis takes action • 10 July – Louis ordered his army and biggest guns to Versailles and trapped the delegates in the palace • 11 July – Necker (chief advisor to the King) was fired • The people viewed Necker as their champion • They draped his statue in black and carried it through the streets of Paris – soldiers who got in the way were pelted with rocks. One unit refused to fire on the crowd wwhen ordered to do so. • Rumours spread about mercenaries which led to a massive wave of fear

34. July 14, 1789 – Bastille Day • There was mob rule in the streets, looting, army bases were ransacked and guns were taken, government building set on fire • Rumours spread that more troops were on their way to Paris to put down the rebellion, and that the guns on top of the Bastille Prison (a 400 year old prison famous for torture) were being pointed into the crowd

35. July 14, 1789 – Bastille Day • The crowd tried to take the guns – they went to the prison and ct down the draw bridge and ran through the outer walls • The 120 prison guards opened fire and a 4-hour gun battle ensued • Peasants were joined by many soldiers and the prison garrison surrendered

36. July 14, 1789 – Bastille Day • The prison was smashed and the prisoners were freed (there were only 7 prisoners – one had been there for 40 years) • The governor of the prison was mutilated by the mob, as was the Mayor of Paris. Their heads were put on pikes and put on parade.

37. July 14, 1789 – Bastille Day • This marked a new era – July 14 is now “Bastille Day” and is France’s national holiday • The King lost control of Paris • The bourgeoisie took firm control of the leadership, the new city government, the army and for the first time the tri-colour flag of France was used. The King went out wearing a tri-colour ribbon and the crowd cheered “Long Live The King!”

38. Results of the Storming of the Bastille 1. Bastille was of great symbolic importance • Mob forced Louis to carry out the will of the people • It marked a deepening of the revolution - they could not turn back now even if they wanted to

39. Louis attempted Reconciliation • He ignored advice to flee France • Two days after the raid Louis: • Announced Royal troops guarding Versailles would leave; • Announced Necker would be re-hired; • Recognized the legitimacy of the Municipal Government of Paris and the Citizen’s Militia (the National Guard) • Agreed to visit Paris wearing a tri-colour cockade

40. The French Situation • Paris was not the only place of disturbance – Municipal governments were set up in several French cities • In rural areas, riots began well before July 14 – Lots of violence against property of nobles • Local police were useless and Louis could not rely on the loyalty of his troops

41. The New Government • Riots were a constant source of concern for the new national assembly in Paris • At first they recommended “repression” of the peasants *The new administration of “revolutionaries” was considering preventing the people from expressing their disapproval of the new order. • The members met during the night of 4 August

42. Promises of Change Beginning with the Viscount of Noailles and the Duke of Aiguillon (both liberal nobles), the nobles rose to renounce their feudal privliges The Clergy rose to renounce their claim to Tithes and a tax exemption

43. Not Much Changed • When the actual bill/law was drawn up, their privileges were not completely given up • This was typical of the work of the national assembly over the next two years: They spoke like revolutionaries, but they acted like moderates • The leaders of the revolution were bourgeoisie, who yearned for the opportunity to lead France, to have political power and social prestige. They were not going to turn power over to the masses.

44. Revolution • Revolution is imposition of a new order. Leaders of the Revolution do not want the results of their revolution to change. • “All revolutionaries are conservatives on the day after the revolution.” Discuss using examples.