There are a number of words that necessitate explanation in order to interpret the extract as a source for historical study. The first is the phrase ‘sacred precincts’, where are they? Roux mentions the ‘bloodsuckers of the people’ we would need to know who he was referring to. Roux refers to ‘The Constitutional Act’, which requires further explanation, he mentions ‘sovereign’, this refers to the people of France rather than the king, as Roux’s was a republican. (History, Classicism, and Revolution, p97). Roux mentions the ‘Counter-Revolution’, I would need to know what that was and who the ‘sans-coulottes’ were; the direct translation means literally ‘without trousers’. Roux uses an interesting phrase when he states ‘blood patriots of Marseilles; and again ‘veritable national assassins’, I would need to know what these phrases mean to assist in our interpretation of the source. He used the French word ‘émigrés’ which would need translation to put it into context. Finally Roux mentions the ‘Declaration of the Rights of Man’; it would be useful to understand what this was.
Moving on to what I can learn from the usefulness of the source, I will begin with the unwitting testimony, in the first paragraph by saying that they (The Convention) have not done everything ‘for the welfare of the people’ Roux is saying he is not happy with the Constitutional Act and that it could have done more. Roux’s references to the price of food indicate that the cost of this is high. When he refers to the King and Queen as ‘the fugitive Capets’, Roux is indicating what he really thinks of them, that they have deserted the people and country. Furthermore Roux is suggesting that the King and Queen should have been executed by referring to putting a price on their heads. Roux seems to say that the émigrés wives and children could have been taken hostage and that the ‘hoarders and speculators’ are no better than the ‘would be’ kidnappers. Finally, the tone and the choice of words in the speech are strong and indicate that Roux felt very strongly about the cause.
Turning now to the witting testimony; Roux starts by stating that the Constitutional Act does not do enough for the ‘welfare of the people’. He continues that ‘one class of men can starve the other’ by being exempt from recrimination and that the rich can choose life as they can afford the ‘price of provisions’ whereas the majority cannot afford to buy food easily. Roux tells of those who have dared to propose a king being killed, and of the ‘counter-revolutionaries’ being outlawed, he continues by saying that they should have ‘put a price on the head of the fugitive Capets’. Roux says to get the sans-culottes on side, they just need to put food within their reach. In the final paragraph, Roux says that the big merchants have, with the help of the kings ‘oppressed the people’ by interpreting part of the ‘Constitutional Act’ incorrectly. Further, Roux continues that the Convention should go ahead and pass a ‘constitutional decree’ but warns that in the end the people will see that ‘you are more affected by the cause of the poor than of the rich’, that the wealthy people are not among the Convention. He concludes by saying that in the end ‘you do not want the ‘Counter-Revolution’
In conclusion, this is a public discursive source with strengths; that it was taken from a personal view and also represented a group of peoples opinion, and weaknesses; the source being only one point of view, therefore needing other sources to compare it with. Also, it is a translation which could have resulted in loss of detail. The source has both witting and unwitting testimony that reveals Roux opinions. Therefore it is useful in representing one view of Paris during the Terror.
(831 words)
Bibliography
CDA5533 Tracks 1-7, Milton Keynes, The Open University.
DVD Disc 1 DVD00109, Track 7, (2005) A(ZX)103 An Introduction to Humanities, Milton Keynes, The Open University.
Resource Book 2, (2005) A(ZX)103 An Introduction to Humanities, Milton Keynes, The Open University.
History, Classicism, and Revolution, (2005) Block 3, A(ZX)103 An Introduction to Humanities, Milton Keynes, The Open University.
