French Revolution: Success or Failure?

“It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness, it was the season of Light, it was the season of Darkness” (Charles Dickens). In 1789, the French Revolution broke out between the nobles and the citizens of France resulting in 16,594 people died under the guillotine due to the political, economical, and social clash between two sides. Since it was the most influential Revolution that spreads swiftly through the European countries, many historians have different points, sources and opinions about the French Revolution. It usually divided into two themes; several historians like to argue that French Revolution was the turning point of the French history while other historians portray the French Revolution as the Bloody Revolution. Nevertheless, clearly, it is impossible to judge the French Revolution was efficient or inefficient because it is actually both. French Revolution gave great benefits as well as played a significant role to eliminate aristocracy yet it produced too much blood shed and left ineradicable scar on French people’s heart.

The numerous circumstances and factors accumulated to intensify the heat of the French and brought them out on roads to fight for their inalienable rights. Ancien Regime, a system that existed before the French Revolution of 1789, played a vital role to provoke the ‘enlightened’ French citizens. Under this regime, the King of France had right and power to control everything and everyone was a subject of the King as well as a member of an estate. Additionally, this unfair system gave privilege only to clergy and noble such as immunity from taxation. The most important fact is that these people only possessed two- percent in France. In other words, about 98 percent of France citizens had to pay the heavy taxes for preserving their life. Besides Ancien Regime, there are many historical factors and events that actually made the French Revolution as an inevitable revolution such as insatiableness of King, American Revolution, and financial crisis in France. Therefore, the French citizens rise up with arms and prepared to stand against with their government in order to protect their rights and democracy.

French Revolution started the fire with the fall of the Bastille which is one of the positive historical events that happened during the Revolution. The Bastille was the political prison in Paris and the place that symbolizes the repression of freedom. In 1789, the citizens who were provoked by the French government and their King suddenly attack the Bastille in order to take back the equality and liberty, “This oppression and lack of representation in their government caused the masses of French citizens to make armed revolution against King Louis XVI” (Faithorn 192). Through this event, French people saw the power of democracy and took one step forward to liberty. Additionally, the prisoners who were rescued by French people during the storm of Bastille actually helped the France during the foreign wars such as war with Austria and Prussia, “When prisoners were released from the walls of the Bastille, some of them were actually joined the army for benefit of France” (Bryan 31). Without doubt, the Bastille is one of the factors that make the French Revolution as a Glorious Revolution. In fact, French people commemorate the day when the French people grasp the Bastille as the national holiday of France. France people celebrate this holiday to symbolize not only the uprising of the modern nation but also the downfall of monarchy.

France is one of the countries that have strong nationality in Europe and this nationalism is actually reinforced through the French Revolution. La Marseillaise, the national anthem of France, is a song composed by Claude Joseph Rouget de Lisle. Although, this anthem didn’t play a vital role during the beginning of the Revolution, it actually used as a ‘pump – song’ during the war between Prussia and Austria. Interestingly, the composer of the national anthem has great relationship with the Bastille. The anthem is written in 1792 which is the few years after the fall of the Bastille. Claude Joseph started to write this national song after he observed the French citizen’s audacity and braveness in the Bastille and got the ideas from the French flag which was fluttered on the top of the Bastille. Even now this anthem is using by French people and is the first song that they sing on the Bastille Day. Therefore, there is no doubt that French Revolution spreads nationality and can be depict as the Revolution that has positive points.

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The French citizens required and wanted the strong government that has power to control the French society. The Representative Government which was stronger government then previous government, monarchy, gave social equality to French people. Since this government has a system that emphasizes the democracy, it played a vital role to ‘represent’ the will of the people in some way – by translating popular sentiment or public interest into policy (Bryan 2) liberty, freedom, and brotherhood. Unlike the previous government, it was more efficient and had accurate system because it had many different sub-officers who made great success to make the organize government that protects people’s rights, “Representative government has reached its greatest perfection, the perfection which combines simplicity with efficiency especially in economic…corporation with sub-officers…is perhaps the best government that human ingenuity has devised” (Clow 48). Clearly, the Representative government worked their best to protect and balance the power between the citizens and noble. Moreover, the Representative government was main factor and issue that created the Constitution of 1791 which assisted as well as idealized the French citizens to think about their rights seriously.

French Revolution made not only the great impacts on the nationality but also the strong constitution that made France as a democratic country. The Constitution of 1791, the first constitution of France, symbolizes the first step of France democracy. The main idea of constitution was producing a completely new social order as well as forgetting the traditions of the Ancien Regime. Through this constitution, King of France allowed to maintain the monarchy yet loses some executive authorities,

Under the New Constitution, King Louis XVI could only temporarily veto legislation passed by the assembly. The Constitution restricted voting in the assembly to the upper and middle classes of French society and abolished “nobility” as a legal order (Hargate 77).

Without doubt, through this constitution, the French citizens were able to reinforce their rights and liberty by eliminating the nobility. Also, the National Assembly snatched the power of King from his hand; King Louis XVI had no authority to control the army of France and the local governments. In addition, French citizens were allowed to have “voting rights” under this new constitution, “the Legislative Assembly would be made up of representatives elected by Electors” Truly, this historical event gave critical impacts on French society. Not only it gave French people to have voting rights but also symbolizes the France was not the autocratic country. Therefore, the French Revolution created another positive point and effect through the New Constitution.

Most of the Constitution that created during the Revolution era was to give equality and right to the French citizens. Clearly, the French Revolution produced lots of contents as well as clubs that helped and improved the French society. Jacobin Club was one of the most influential and powerful clubs that existed during the French Revolution. Several historians acclaim that the members of this club symbolize the downfall of monarchy because they were the one who led the King Louis XVI to guillotine. Moreover, through this club, the French Revolution was allowed to abandon the feudalism and laissez- faire which played a vital role to represent the inequality. Besides the club, the Jacobin Declaration of Rights was crucial since it added to that of 1789 the principle of the freedom of worship “no longer inhibited by the proviso that it must not ‘disturb the social peace” (Rude 86). In addition, due to the declaration, the freedoms of the economy and of trade were now more evidently stated. In this sense, Jacobin tried their best to improve and make the French society as the place with equality. Hence, Jacobin can include in one of the reasons that prove the French Revolution was efficient.

In 1789, the French Revolution produced another historical event which is known as the Great Fear. Most of the historians advocate this event was one of the main reasons that make the French Revolution as the Bloody Revolution. However, in fact, Great Fear had quite positive results and features. First of all, it created militias to organize themselves in a more efficient manner (Rude 49). In addition, it gave an impetus to “the progress of the Revolution in the provinces” (Rude 49). Despite of its negative points, Great Fear has quite good points that represent the French Revolution. Furthermore, the Great Fear actually brought the August Decree in 1789 which was the law that ended the feudal system in France and abolished noble rights and clerical system,

It decrees that, among the existing rights and dues, both feudal and censual, all those originating in or representing real or personal serfdom shall be abolished without indemnification (Article I).

Clearly, the French citizens made the aristocrats to surrender their especial privileges and reinforced their rights and equality. The reason why this is one of the positive points about the French Revolution is because it gave great impact on French citizens economically, politically, and socially.

A source similar to the Constitution of 1791, the French Revolution produced the fundamental document called the Declaration of the Rights of Man. This basic document was adopted by the National Assembly in 1789. The most noted French politicians designed this document such as Montesquieu, Locke and Rousseau which means the French document is heavily dependent on the politicians. Several historians portray the Declaration of the Rights as the ‘voice’ of the Third Estates. In other words, the Declaration of the Rights includes rules that assert natural rights for the French citizens and all men without exception. It emphasizes “all the citizens, being equal in the eyes of the law, are equally admissible to all public dignities, places, and employments” (Article VI). Under this document, the French citizens are equal and they should have same privilege without any discrimination such as social background. Truly, through this article, the French people were guaranteed the rights of freedom, liberty and security.

Due to the lack of organization of King Louis XVI, the French people had to fight with poverty. The food prices were unbalanced and disequilibrium during the Revolution and it actually brought many people to the cliff. In 1793, the National Convention proposed the Law of Maximum as one of the solution that can cover the economic problems. The purpose of law was to manage the grain prices by establishing the maximum legal costs. Although, it concluded with the huge inflation, many consumers and producers were allowed to earn same prices, and it was one of the wartime emergencies that helped the French citizens from the economic drawbacks. Furthermore, in that period, Law of maximum was the best way and the only way to manage the high bread prices,

“Paris Commune decided to fix the price of bread with the aid of a subsidy to bakers at 3 sous a pound- a mere50 per cent above the normal pre- revolutionary level at a time when other prices had more than doubled. Two months later, the Assembly followed by passing its first Maximum Law (Rude 84).

France had serious problems to handle the ‘double’ prices of food, thus, Paris Commune determined to introduce the Law of Maximum after few months. If they did not proposed the law then it might brought the France to face with deeper problems. It clearly depicts that the French Revolution created the ideas and laws which were the best way to pass the benefits to the French citizens.

Before the Revolution, France used the Gregorian calendar that had been used since the Dark Ages, however, due to the French Revolution; France gained a new system of measurement known as Metric System. This brand- new system designed to remove the antiquated and difficult to use systems of measurement which had urbanized over the centuries. The reason why this system made the French Revolution as a positive revolution is because it helped the France to develop their markets, business and consumers. Under the Metric system, people didn’t have to spend their time to measure all the supplies and calculate all the sources, they just needed to follow the rules and standards which were more scientifically accurate and easier to use,

the new definition for a meter be equal to 1 10 millionth (1/10,000,000) of the distance between the North Pole and the Equator, and this was accepted by the National Assembly in 1791. This would provide a scientifically accurate and constant measurement for the meter and the basis of their new system (McGraw 33).

Through this system, France economics promoted significantly and rapidly. It helps to improve markets, trade between consumers and suppliers, as well as enhance the French Revolution. Most of the historians insist that the development of the metric system was one of the most and greatest change during the French Revolution; not only for the French citizens but also for all the Europeans.

Many historians advocate the French Revolution was one of the famous and greatest issues that appeared during the mid-18th century since it gave critical impacts on other European countries such as Austria, Prussia and England. After the King Louis XVI killed by his citizens, many European countries was worried about that their citizens might rise up with their ‘enlightened’ idea in order to get democracy as well as eliminate the feudalism. Thus, clearly, the French Revolution gave not only the liberty but also expanded the revolutionary ideas through whole Europe. In other words, the French Revolution was aimed to “be more than just a revolution in government. It was mean to become a revolution in all areas” (Hargate 34). In fact, there are several revolutions that had occurred because of the French Revolution. Russian Revolution in 1917 clearly demonstrates and proves the influence of the French Revolution. Therefore, it is evident that the European countries like Austria wanted to fight against with the French citizens because the country that had the system of monarchy might have to face with the Revolution just like the French Revolution. Besides the monarchy, the countries that had a settlement in other countries were also afraid about the Revolution in France. England, the country that had colonial policy in Ireland, was also wanted to stop the French Revolution because they didn’t want to face with another revolutionary war. Hence, it is clear that the French Revolution influenced many European countries. These events and evidence clearly support that the French Revolution was a Glorious Revolution.

There is no doubt that the French Revolution gained and lost many things. In other words, the French Revolution has several negative facts and evidences that symbolize the French Revolution as the ‘Bloody Revolution.’ First of all, the French Revolution took off too much people’s head. Approximately, seven hundred thousand people died during the French Revolution including innocent nobles and citizens. Likewise, many historical events actually made the situation worse. For instance, The Reign of Terror in 1793 depicts that the French Revolution was inefficient for the French citizens. The terror was led by Maximilien Robespierre, and it placed the French citizens in the fear. In addition, Robespierre introduced the new dictatorship in France and killed all the members in Gironde; another group like Jacobin that wanted to improve the French society with the different points of view. Furthermore, the French Revolution promoted the creation of émigrés; the counter revolutionists. It is also great examples to support that the French Revolution was not effective and main factor that produced the White Terror. The émigrés, the political people who emigrate from their own country due to the political reason, played a significant role to make the conflicts and struggles between the Jacobins and émigrés. Later this event called as the White Terror and concludes with the blood shed.

Besides the White Terror, the Revolution in France concluded with the war with other European countries, and created poverty as well as economics problems. The execution of King Louis XVI was absolutely breaking news for other European countries. Especially, the Prussia and Austria were shocked and provoked by the French citizens. Thus, in 1792, the French Revolution drove France towards war with Austria and its allies. During the period of the war, many people “died and the economy was very bad…great part of the French population thought the revolution had gone too far” (Brien 39). The French government wasted too much money and people’s lives. Consequently, it made many people to get sick of the Revolution rather than spread the idea of freedom, liberty and brotherhood. Moreover, the Revolution actually played a vital role to create the tension between the bourgeoisies and sans-culottes. Sans-culottes, the activators of the Revolution, were provoked by the bourgeoisies after they realized bourgeoisies manipulated them in order to grasp and grow their power. Several historians describe the French Revolution was “turning points for bourgeoisies.” In other words, the purpose of the French Revolution was just enlarging the power of bourgeoisies. Lastly and significantly, the French Revolution didn’t achieve true goals; it failed to mange the French society. During the Revolution, the government of France changed the constitution more than three times, “In 1791, the Constitution of 1791 was adopted. A few years later, a new constitution was sanctioned. This was successful until 1799” (Fryer 33). The lack of strong government concluded with changing the constitution constantly which made the confusion to the French citizens and created the tension between the bourgeoisies and the citizens.

All in all, the French Revolution has some negative points as well as positive perspectives. It is absolutely conflict subject to argue since there are enormous amounts of fact that prove the French Revolution was either benefit or harmful. Several historians might argue that the French Revolution was the Revolution that the French people needed. Meanwhile, other historians symbolize the French Revolution as the Revolution that destroyed all the hopes of the French citizens. However, it is clear that due to the Revolution in France, the European history changed dramatically. It lasted from 1789 through 1799, and left certain lasting effects upon not only the French Nation but also the European countries; it created new intellectual, cultural, political dimensions and social reforms.