French Revolution - Episode 3

 

• Overview of entire revolution:
• 1789 : Estate general (सम्पूर्ण समाजिक तहका मानिसहरुको प्रतिनिधित्व भएको एउटा सभा)
• 1789 - 1791 : National Assembly
• 1791 - 1792 : Legislative Assembly
• 1792 - 1795 : National Convention (Reign of Terror - आतंकको शासन) 
• 1795 - 1798 : Directory Rule 
• 1799 - Coup by Nepoleon Bonapart

• National Assembly (1789 - 1791):
• The demand of the National Assembly was Constitutional Monarchy and to end Absolute Monarchy.

• 26th August, 1789: The National Assembly declared "Right of Man and of the Citizen" - a type of constitution at that time (but not exactly constitution, the only draft of the constitution but worked as the constitution)
• Had 17 articles 
• This book was said to be guidelines to make a constitution but this was not exactly a constitution.
• It was based on ideas of the enlightenment.
• It had guaranteed human and civil rights - liberty (freedom), property, security, equality, and fraternity.
• This article was made by taking ideas from the Magna Carta and the US Bill of Rights.
• This was based on the slogan "Men are born and remain free and equal in rights."
• But this article had not provided any rights to women and slaves as citizens.

• With the declaration of the constitution, the national assembly declared the following things:
1. Abolition of Feudalism.
2. Levied uniform taxes for all.
3. Clergy were reduced by one-third and they were made civil officers.
4. Made national guards, who were also called armies of general citizen, for the protection of the constitution.

• Result of declaration:
1. Many feudal lords and nobles fled to a neighboring country
2. Popes were angry and they were against this revolution.

• 1790:
• The formation of political groups began in France
• Various groups and clubs came with their new ideas and thoughts to carry out the revolution going on in the country.
• Some of the important clubs were:
• Jacobins: 
• Leader: Maximilien de Robespierre.
• This club had the idea to continue the ongoing revolution in a radical (क्रान्तिकारी) way.
• This club had included most of the poor citizens of the country, mainly workers and artisans.
• They believed that the power of the country was with the upper class, wealthy middle class, and rich traders.
• They wanted to completely wipe away the rule of the king from the country.
• Full pants and a red cap had become their symbol.
• Girondins:
• This club had the idea to continue the ongoing revolution in a liberal (उदार) way.
• They wanted to keep the king within the boundary of the constitution and develop a constitutional monarchy in the country.
• Society of Revolutionary Republican Women:
• This club's conclusion was that women were left behind in every sectors
• They demanded for women's right.

• During the same time, the concept of left-wing and right-wing came into existence. 
• Those groups who had sat on the left side of the king during negotiation were demanding change in the system of governance of the country.
• Those who sat on the right side of the King had their interest in continuing the same system of governance.
• 1791:
• King Louis XVI, who was in Paris had a thought in his mind that the revolution was a danger to his reign and his life. Thus he tried to escape from his country to his in-laws country Austria.
• He was identified and caught by citizens on the border. 
• People were very angry with the king because they had thought that the king was in favor of revolution but when they caught him while trying to escape from the country, they thought that the king was selfish and he only wants his benefit.
• Thus huge mass started asking for a republican country rather than asking for constitutional monarchy.
• The voice of Jacobins started becoming stronger and people started demanding for republic system of governance in the country.
•  TWIST
• The national assembly was in favor of constitutional monarchy. Thus new demand of revolutionists was against the demand of the national assembly.
• The national assembly sent National Guards to suppress the movement.
• Protestors were massacred in a brutal way.
• But people did not stop their protest against the system of monarchy and continuously kept demanding the republican system in the country.
• Jacobins continuously led the revolution.

To be continued...

References:

1. Study IQ education. (2017c, May 11). French Revolution - फ्रांस की क्रांति - World History - विश्व इतिहास - UPSC/IAS [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kHF0vuj1Dz8

2. The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica. (2020, May 6). Estates-General | Definition, Meeting, & History. Encyclopedia Britannica. https://www.britannica.com/topic/Estates-General

3. Britannica, The Editors of Encyclopaedia. "Constitution of 1791". Encyclopedia Britannica, 13 May. 2016, https://www.britannica.com/topic/Constitution-of-1791-French-history. Accessed 29 May 2021.

4. 2021. [online] Available at: <https://www.toppr.com/ask/en-pk/question/highlight-the-features-of-active-and-passive-citizens-of-france/> [Accessed 29 May 2021].

5. En.wikipedia.org. 2021. French Revolutionary Wars - Wikipedia. [online] Available at: <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/French_Revolutionary_Wars> [Accessed 30 May 2021].