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ERR - 9th - History [French Revolution I]

		e-NOTES (2060 [C] )
9th (History)
French Revolution I
French Society During Late 18th Century The French Revolution is known as a landmark in the history of Europe and the world. It led to end of monarchy in France. A new system of governance was introduced. The Declaration of the Rights of Man and Citizen during the French Revolution announced the coming of a new era. The slogan of French Revolution liberty, freedom and equality became important ideas of new era. French Society during The Late 18th Century In 1774, Louis XVI of the Bourbon family became the king of France. He was 20 years old and married the Austrian princess Marie Antoinette. ‘When he became the ruler, he found an empty treasury, because years of wars and an extravagant lifestyle had drained the financial resources of France. The cost of maintaining court at the immense palace of Versailles also added to the problem. To maintain court he took more than 2 billion livres loan. Under, Louis XVI France helped the thirteen American colonies to gain their independence from their common enemy Britain. The war added more ‘than a billion livres to a debt. Due to this situation, credit lenders of state began to charge 10% interest on loans. It became difficult for the French Government to meet its regular expenses such as maintaining army, the court, etc. Thus, the government was forced to increase taxes. THERE IS A SHORT NOTE ABOUT FRENCH REVOLUTION The monarch of France was King Louis XVI at the time of French Revolution and prior to that as well. The king had ascended the throne in 1774 who lived in Versailles. In the 18th Century wars with Europe and America had led to a loss in the treasury and national debts amounted to approximately 3 billion livres. Therefore the King at that time increased taxation. Later on improvements in the education system was sought as new ideas led to new class of people emerging in the Third Estate(commoners) at the time. The society was divided into 3 states, clergy, nobility and commoners.
Structure -Social Status of French Society Structure and Social Status of French Society in 18th Century: In the 18th century, French society was divided into three estates The First Estate (clergy) Members of this estate had vast land and wealth. They were exempted from paying tax and enjoyed certain privileges by birth. The Second Estate (nobility) Members of this estate also enjoyed privileges by birth and were exempted from paying taxes. They enjoyed feudal privileges such as extraction of feudal dues from peasants. The Third Estate The rest of the population constituted the third estate (businessmen, merchants, lawyers, peasants, artisans, landless labour, servants, etc). Members of this estate had very few privileges and had to pay taxes. Peasants were important part of this estate who constituted about 90% population. Only a few of them owned land. 60% of land cultivated by peasants was owned by nobles and rich members of third estate. They served lords, in army and in construction work. The Church took taxes called tithes from the peasants. All members of the third estate had to pay taxes to the state. This included taitle, a direct tax and a number of indirect taxes imposed on articles of everyday consumption like salt or tobacco. This estate alone had burden of financing activities of state. The Struggle to Survive: During 1715-1789, the population of France increased from 23 to 28 million. This led to a rapid increase in demand for food grains. But the production did not increase. The price of bread rose rapidly. It was the staple diet of the majority. Most workers were employed as labourers in workshops, whose owners fixed their wages. Their wages did not keep pace with the rise in prices. So, the gap between the poor and the rich widened. It became worse when bad weather conditions reduced the harvest. This frequently created a subsistence crisis. A Growing Middle Class Envisages an End to Privileges In the past, peasants and workers had participated in revolts against increasing taxes and food scarcity. But they lacked the sources and programmes to carry out full scale measures that would bring about a change in the social and economic order. This was left to the groups of the third estate who had become prosperous and had access to education and new ideas.
Emergence of Middle Class Emergence of Middle Class: In the 18th century, a new social group emerged who were known as the middle class. They had become rich by expanding of overseas trade and manufacturing goods. In addition to merchants and manufacturers, there were lawyers and administrative officials, who were educated. They believed that no group of society should be privileged by birth. Role of Philosophers On Emergence of Middle Class: Philosophers like john Locke, Jean Jacques Rousseau and Montesquieu considered the middle class was sole responsible for revolution. They spread the ideas of Freedom, equal laws and oppurtunities for all. John Locke in his book ' TWO TREATISES OF GOVERNMENT ' criticised the doctrine of the divine and absolute right of monarch. Rousseau carried the idea forward, proposing a form of government based on a social contract between people and their representatives. Rousseau in his book, ' THE SOCIAL CONTRACT', argued against the idea that monarchs were divinely empowered to legislate , as he asserted that only the people , who were sovereign, had that all- powerful right. Montesquieu in his book ' THE SPIRIT OF THE LAWS' stressed the concept of separation of powers between the legislature, the executive and the judiciary. His concept of separation of powers was a great instrument against the despotic autocratic rule of french emperor.
Role of Philosophers on Emergence of Middle Class Role of Philosophers on Emergence of Middle Class: Philosophers like John Locke, Jean Jacques Rousseau and Montesquieu considered the middle class was sole responsible for revolution. They spread the ideas of freedom, equal laws and opportunities for all. John Locke in his book ‘Two Treatises of Government’ criticised the doctrine of the divine and absolute right of the monarch. Rousseau carried the idea forward, proposing a form of government based on a social contract between people and their representatives. Rousseau in his book, ‘The Social Contract’, argued against the idea that monarchs were divinely empowered to legislate, as he asserted that only the people, who were sovereign, had that all-powerful right. Montesquieu in his book ‘The Spirit of the Laws’, stressed the concept of separation of powers between the Legislature, the Executive and the Judiciary. His concept of separation of powers was a great instrument against the despotic autocratic rule of French emperor.
Impact of Ideas of Philosophers Impact of Ideas of Philosophers: The model of government given by Montesquieu was put into force in the USA after the thirteen colonies declared their independence from Britain. The American Constitution and its guarantee of individual rights was an important example for political thinkers in France. People discussed the ideas of philosophers generally in salons and coffee-houses and were spread among people through newspapers and books. These were frequently read aloud in groups for the benefit of those people who could not read or write. Soon the news spread that Louis XVI had planned to impose further taxes to meet the expenses of the state. This generated anger and protest against the system of privileges. The ideas of liberty and democratic rights were the most important legacy of the french revolution.These ideas spread from France to the rest of Europe during the 19th century, where feudal systems were abolished. Colonised people in Africa, Asia and Latin America reworked the idea of freedom from bondage into their movements to create a sovereign nation state. The french revolution led to to the end of monarchy in France. A society based on privileges gave way to a new system of governance. The idea that all individuals had rights and could claim equality became part of the new language of politics, but in different part of new technology countries they were reinterpreted and rethought.
Outbreak of Revolution The circumstances leading to outbreak of revolutionary protest in France Social causes or social conditions: On the eve of the revolution, the clergy and the nobles led to a life of luxury and enjoyed numerous privileges. on the other hand , the peasants and workers as well as the middle class people lived a wretched life. They groaned under heavy taxes and forced labour. This state of social inequality was the chief cause of the french revolution. Political causes or political conditions: Emperor Louis XVI of France was an empty headed despot. He and his queen, Marie Antonette, squandered money on their luxurious living and wasteful festivities. The high posts were often auctioned, so inefficiency reigned supreme. The people were tired of such a rotten system of administration and wanted a change. Economic causes or economic conditions: France had been continually involved in wars which had broken her economy. The luxurious life led by the French King Louis XVI and his queen had made the matter still worse. the people groaned under heavy taxes. Immediate cause: Forced by financial bankruptcy caused by continuous wars, Emperor Louis XVI was complled to call a meeting of the Estate general in 1789 A.D.after a lapse of 175 years. it generated much excitement as the members of the third estate were determined to put a check on the highandedness of both the clergy, the nobility and the french monarch. in this way, the calling of the estates general in 1789 a.d. proved the immediate cause of the french revolution. Assembly of the Estates General Louis XVI called for an assembly of the Estates General on 5th May, 1789 to pass the proposal for new taxes. In Versailles, an attractive and impressive hall was prepared to host the delegates. The first and second estates sent 300 representatives each, who were seated in rows facing each other on two sides. The 600 members of the third estate had to stand at the back. The third estate was represented by its more prosperous and educated members. Peasants, artisans and women were denied entry to the assembly but they sent their demands and grievances through representatives. These were listed in some 40000 letters. Demand for Voting in Democratic Way In earlier voting system of Estates General, each estate had one vote. This time also, Louis XVI wanted to continue the same system. But the members of third estate demanded that voting should be conducted by taking assembly as a whole. They demand that each member should have one vote but this proposal was rejected by the king. This idea was supported by Rousseau in his book ‘The Social Contract’. After the rejection of this proposal the members of third estate walked out of assembly in protest. National Assembly of Third Estate On 20th June, the representatives of the third estate assembled in the hall of an indoor tennis court in Versailles. They declared themselves a National Assembly. They also swore to draft a new Constitution for France that would limit the powers of the monarch. The representatives of the third estate were led by Mirabeau and Abbé Sieyès. Mirabeau was born in a noble family, but discarded his feudal privileges. Mirabeau brought out a journal and delivered powerful speeches to the crowd to inspire them at Versailles. Abbé Sieyes was originally a priest. He wrote an influential pamphlet called ‘What is the Third Estate?’
Revolt Starts at the Bastille Revolt Starts at the Bastille: While the National Assembly was busy at Versailles drafting a Constitution, the rest of France was in disturbance as severe winter brought bad harvest. It led to the increase in price of bread. Bakers exploited the situation by hoarding the supplies. After spending hours in long queues at the bakery, crowds of angry women raid the shops. At the same time, the king ordered troops to move into Paris. On 14th July, an agitated crowd destroyed the Bastille. The Bastille was hated by all French people as it symbolised the dominating power of the king. The fortress was demolished and its stone fragments were sold in the markets. In the countryside, rumours spread from village to village that the lords of the manor had hired bands of brigands who were on their way to destroy the ripe crops. Peasants were caught by fear and madness hearing the rumour. They attacked chateaux across many areas of France. The peasants looted hoarded grain and burnt documents containing records of manorial dues. Consequently, a large number of nobles moved to neighbouring countries.
End of Special Privileges End of Special Privileges: Seeing the power of revolt, Louis XVI recognised the National Assembly. He accepted that his powers would be checked by a Constitution. On the night of 4th August, 1789, France passed the law for abolishing the feudal system of obligations and taxes. The members of clergy were also forced to give up their privileges. Tithes were abolished and lands owned by the Church were seized by authority. By this, the government acquired assets worth at least 2 billion livres. Peasants protest against the end of special privileges(fedual lords or nobles of France) In the countryside, there were rumours that the landlords of the manor had hired criminals to destroy the ripe crops of the peasants. Being afraid of the situation , peasants in several districts seized hoes and pitchforks and attacked chateaux( castles belonging to the noblemen). They looted the hoarded grain. they also burnt down documents containing records of manorial dues. as a result, a larger number of nobles fled from their home towns and migrated to neighbouring countries.
France Becames a Constitutional Monarchy France Becomes a Constitutional Monarchy: The National Assembly completed the draft of the Constitution in 1791. Its main objective was to limit the powers of the monarch. Now, the powers were separated and assigned to different institutions like the Legislature, Executive and Judiciary. This change of powers made France a constitutional monarchy. The Laws Made by the National Assembly: Under the new Constitution, the laws were to be made by the National Assembly. The assembly was indirectly elected i.e. active citizens voted for a group of electors, who in turn chose the assembly members. The highlights of the changed system are: Men who were above 25 years of age and who paid taxes equal to at least 3 days of a labourer’s wage were given the status of active citizens, i.e. they had right to vote. The remaining men and all women were classed as passive citizens. To qualify as an Elector and then as a Member of the assembly, a man had to belong to the highest bracket of taxpayers. The Constitution began with a Declaration of the Rights of Man and Citizen. According to this declaration, the right to life, freedom of speech, freedom of opinion and equality before law were established as natural rights and it was the duty of the state to protect these.

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