The French Revolution

1. The French Revolution The Directory, 1795-1799 McKay 711-714, Palmer 9.45

2. Moderate Period 1789-1792 “Age of Montesquieu” Constitutional Monarchy Liberal moderates in control National Assembly/Legislative Assembly Limited Change Limited enfranchise-ment Restoration Period 1799-1804 “Age of Voltaire” Enlightened Despotism Consulate Government centralized with enlightened ideals Old Order returns to power Crane Brinton & The Anatomy of Revolution • Radical Period • 1792-1794 • “Age of Rousseau” • Republic • Strong central government • Radicals in control • Convention • Major Change • Total enfranchise- ment • Terror • Command economy • Utopian/ idealized vision • Thermidorian Period • 1794-1799 • “Age of Smith” • Oligarchy • Moderates Bourgeoisie government • Directory • Reactionary stage • Idealized visions of Rev forgotten • Period of decadence • Free Market economy • High Inflation • Reliance on Strong Man

3. Thermidorian Reaction Robespierre Executed (7/28/94) -Thermidorian Reaction Begins • Coup d’ etat of Brumaire (11/9/1799) • -Consulate begins • End of Revolution? Constitution of 1795 Rule of the Directory 1794 1795 1796 1797 1798 1799 1804 Napoleon crowned Emperor -Restoration Begins White Terror attacks Jacobins Coup d ‘etat of Fructidor (September 4) 1797 Price Controls Abolished

4. The “Thermidorian Reaction” • Named based on execution of Robespierre on the 9th of Thermidor (Revolutionary calendar) • Curtailed the power of the Committee for Public Safety • Closed the Jacobin Clubs • Churches were reopened • Freedom of religion granted • Economic restrictions were lifted in favor of laissez-faire policies • Constitution of 1795 • more conservative republicanism

5. Characteristics of the Directory • Paris Commune was outlawed • Law of 22 Prairial was revoked • Reign of Terror over • “White” Terror • People involved in the original Terror were now attacked • Inflation skyrocketed • Price of bread, shoes • Rule by rich bourgeoisliberals • Period of Self-indulgence • frivolous culture, salons reopen, wild fashions • Political corruption/instability • Catholicism Revived Jeunesse Doree (Gilded Youth) flaunted their wealth at the Bals des victimes, or victims' balls • Madame Tallien (Notre Dame de Thermidor) came to opera wearing a semi see-through dress.

6. The Directory • Constitution of 1795 • Supported mainly by wealthy (bourgeoisie) • Restricted to the politically active class • Universal male (over 21) suffrage selected electors • Electors were usually wealthy • Electors chose department officials and members of the Legislative Assembly • Lower Chamber= Council of the 500 • Initiate legislation • Upper Chamber= Council of Ancients (250) • married or widowed males over 40 years of age • Chose the Directory (5 executives) Council of Ancients Council of 500

7. Enemies of the Directory The Directory • Gracchus Babeuf & Conspiracy of Equals • Jacobins • Herbertists • Sans Cullottes • Royalists • Count of Provence • Peasants • Spain, Austria, GB, Prussia Revolutionaries Moderates Reactionaries

8. Political Instability: 1795-1796 • April, 1795  Inflation; bread riots • Price of bread rose 13xs • Fire wood went from 20 to 500 assignats • October, 1795 : • Vendée and Brittany revolted • Royalist coup stopped by Napoleon Bonaparte • 13 Vendémiaire • Revolt by Royalist and Catholics against the Directory • Napoleon stopped them “with a whiff of grapeshot” • Directory relies of strongman to survive • May, 1796  First “communist” revolt • Gracchus Babeuf and the Conspiracy of Equals”

9. Directory’s Enemies on the Right • Louis XVI’s son died in prison in 1795 • Louis XVIII (16’s brother became heir) • Count of Provence • Directed royalists against Directory from Verona, Italy • Not too politically bright • Declaration of Verona • announced his intention to restore Old Regime and punish revolutionaries since 1789 (duh) • “Bourbons learned nothing and forgot nothing.” • French don’t love Con of 1795 but Restoration to them means • Return of privileged nobility • Reimplementation of the manorial system

10. Directory’s Enemies on the Left • Conspiracy of Equals (1796) • Planned armed uprising on Floréal 22, year IV (11 May 1796) • Gracchus Babeuf • Led group of Jacobins and socialists • radical journalist • Father of anarchists, communists • Wanted to abolish private property, install political & economic equality • Tried to overthrow the Directory with a dictatorship • Captured & guillotined in 1796 • Yet Directory ignored hardships of lower classes Gracchus Babeuf

11. The aim of the French Revolution is to destroy inequality and the to reestablish the general welfare…The Revolution is not complete because the rich monopolize all the property and govern exclusively, while the poor toil like slaves, languish in misery, and count for nothing in the state. • The Conspiracy of Equals (Circa 1795)

12. Fashion of the Directory Periods • Directory period mores turned against values of Convention • Phrygian cap became so yesterday • Jeunesse doree (gilded youth) set cultural standards • Square collars, fancy clothes • Long flowing white robes with plunging necklines • Familiar tu dropped in favor of vous (Old Regime) • “Dance of the Victims” • A ball in which relatives of those killed in the Terror partied Radical Period Thermidorian Period

13. Napoleon Background

14. Coup d’etat of Fructidor • Directory seizure of power • First free election was held in March 1797 • Royalistswon many seats and on verge of political control (Council of 500) • Republicans, regicides, and Napoleon could not let royalists get control • Nap never would have risen in Old Regime • Coup d etat of Fructidor (September 4) 1797 • Fructidorian government • Directory annuled the elections of the spring to keep the royalists out • Ironically violate their own Constitution of the year III • Exiled 2 Directors • To save the republic (they say) they had to violate their own constitution

15. Proclamation of the Directory to the French People • 9 September 1797 (23 Fructidor Year V) • The French people have entrusted the custody of their Constitution primarily to the fidelity of the Legislative Body and the executive power. • A royalist plot, whose organization has been long in the making and which has been skillfully woven and patiently sustained, has threatened the integrity of this trust. The Executive Directory discovered the plan and arrested the guilty parties, while the Legislative Body immediately took the necessary measures. • The Legislative Body and the Executive Directory have performed their duty.

16. Foreign Policy of Directory • Expansion continues • 10/1797 treaty of Campo Formio • Austria recognized French annexation of Belgium (former Austrian Netherlands) & Northern Italy • Pope deposed and Roman Republic declared • First Coalition collapses • Now only England is still at war with France

17. The Coup d’etat Brumaire • After Fructidor coup constitutionalism is given up • Directory becomes an ineffective dictatorship • Repudiated debts • guerrilla activity in Vendee flares up • Religious schism became more acute as Directory persecuted refractory clergy • Napoleon invades Egypt (indirect strike at British) • Discovers Rosetta Stone • British fleet cuts off French army in Egypt • Napoleon abandons his army and returns to Paris British caricature of the 18th of Brumaire. “The Corsican Crocodile dissolving the Council of Frogs.”

18. Egypt

19. The Coup d’etat Brumaire • Napoleon’s seizure of power • Directory needs a “strong man” • Abbe Sieyes • “confidence from below, authority from above” • Selects popular general Napoleon Bonaparte • Sieyes thinks he will be the real “power behind the throne” • Coup d’ etat of Brumaire (11/9/1799) • Napoleon seized power • chosen as a member of the Consulate (3) and becomes first Consul 11/1799 • France becomes an Enlightened Despotism

20. First Consul