By June 1791 Grain prices had rose by up to 50%. This resulted in riots and a wave of strikes by workers against the falling value of their wages (the assignats dropping in value). Crowds forced shopkeepers to reduce prices. The discontent of workers was used by popular societies to link economic protests to the political demand for a democratic republic. The growth of republican feeling was steadily being fuelled.
The Kings Flight to Varennes and forcible return to Paris in June 1791 created an immense wave of antimonarchical feeling and widespread doubt on the Kings sincerity. Political and social divisions deepened and aroused much question on Louis role. People started to question their real beliefs and desires for France, and for the first time, the possibility of replacing the monarchy with a republic was openly discussed. The Kings flight was a catalyst, bringing growth of republican feeling to exposure as uncertainty and instability demanded changes in running France.
Anger against the monarchy, which had smouldered among democrats and menu people since the flight to Varennes, blazed up again when the King dismissed his Girondin ministry and vetoed more laws against priests. The King was taken hostage in Paris after the attack on the Tuileries on 10 August 1792. The consequences were momentous and served to shift the revolution of 1789 to a more radical direction, encouraging republican feeling by the integration of people into the nation. The assault on the Tuileries paved the way for a Jacobin republic. The Legislative Assembly was overwhelmed by petitions flooding in, demanding the overthrow of the king and the arming of the people. On the evening of 10 August the king was suspended from office and France became a republic in the following month.
France declared war on Austria on 10 April 1792. War deepened the gulf between moderates and extremists that had appeared at the time of Varennes. It increased irrational fears and panics of treachery and attack, those who seemed ‘moderate’ or antidemocratic were equated with traitors as ‘enemies of the people.’ Such views were characteristic of the sans-culottes, whom war pushed further into prominence. Obviously this intensified the republican feeling in France. Victory in battle encouraged patriotic media, inspiring those who had been unsure to incline to republican feelings. Verdun and Longwy were liberated in October; in the following month the Austrians were beaten at Jemappes and the French overran Belgium. France was free from major threat of invasion (until spring 1793). Blood, terror and total war had marked the advent of democracy in European history.
To conclude, the growth of republicanism came with the influence of the sans-culottes and from various incidents emphasising the need for change in the running of France. The Sans-culottes belief in direct democracy was widespread and encouraged growth of republican feeling to the extent that a nervous constitution could do nothing to stem the tide of popular enthusiasm. Louis flight to Varennes deepened the conviction that France should be able to make its own decisions, the ‘soverignity of the nation’ should have ruling power not the monarchy. People realised they could no longer trust Louis and began to talk openly about a republic. The dethronement of the King brought all this to pass and those who had opposed the revolution were killed. People undoubtedly felt intimidated to show republican feelings, for fear of their lives, and those who really did want a republic fought for it with greater passion as they realised this was the ideal opportunity for change. France at war exacerbated economic and political problems but brought great patriotic desire for success in establishing a nation of liberty and freedom. The growth of republican feeling increased as victory was achieved and the Convention bowed to wishes of the menu people. As the first French republic was established, the people of France grew in republican feeling to accept and claim their nation as victorious.
