La Revolución francesa en 14 minutos

The French Revolution

Key Concepts: Enlightenment, Old Regime, Estates-General, National Assembly, Bastille, Declaration of the Rights of Man and of the Citizen, Reign of Terror, National Convention, Directory, Coup d'État, Consulate, Empire, Liberté, Égalité, Fraternité.

Causes of the Revolution

The French Revolution, a pivotal socio-political upheaval in late 18th-century Europe, stemmed from a confluence of factors:

• The Enlightenment: Philosophers like Voltaire, Rousseau, and Montesquieu challenged ignorance, superstition, and tyranny, advocating for Reason, Equality, and Liberty. Their ideas spread through intellectual gatherings in wealthy homes and publications like the Encyclopaedia (Diderot and D'Alembert), which discredited the Old Regime.
• Absolutist Monarchy: France was ruled by Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette, whose power rested on the King and Nobility.
• Economic Crisis: Military spending and poor harvests led to widespread hunger, while the royalty indulged in luxury, exacerbating the state's debt.
• Social Discontent: The Third Estate, comprising 97% of the population, bore the brunt of taxation and lacked political power, while the clergy and nobility (First and Second Estates) enjoyed privileges and exemptions.

Social Structure: The Three Estates

French society was divided into three Estates:

• First Estate (Clergy): Exempt from taxes, collected tithes (one-tenth of harvests), legalized marriages, births, and deaths, and controlled education.
• Second Estate (Nobility): Landowners, also exempt from taxes, received tribute from peasants, and held exclusive rights to purchase harvests.
• Third Estate: 97% of the population, including the bourgeoisie (wealthy merchants, bankers, professionals), artisans, small merchants, free peasants, landlords, lessees, and workers. They paid all taxes and lacked political representation.

The Estates-General and the National Assembly

• Convening of the Estates-General (1788): Faced with a severe taxing deficit, King Louis XVI convened the Estates-General, a medieval parliament that hadn't met in 174 years.
• Dispute over Voting: The clergy and nobility favored voting by Estate, ensuring their majority, while the Third Estate demanded voting per capita for greater equality.
• Formation of the National Assembly: When the first two Estates blocked voting reforms, the Third Estate, joined by some clergy and nobles, declared itself the National Assembly, vowing to create a Constitution for France.
• Tennis Court Oath: Locked out of their meeting room, the National Assembly convened at a tennis court, pledging to remain united until a Constitution was established. Mirabeau famously stated, "We are here by the will of the people, and that we shall be removed only at the point of a bayonet."

The Storming of the Bastille (July 14, 1789)

• Popular Uprising: Parisians, fearing royal troops would suppress the National Assembly, stormed the Bastille, a symbol of monarchical absolutism and a strategic point for Louis XVI's repression.
• Capture of the Bastille: After three hours of battle, the insurgents captured the prison, boosting their confidence. The governor of the prison was killed, beheaded, and his head paraded on a pike.
• Rise of Jean-Paul Marat: Jean-Paul Marat, a physician and journalist, became a prominent voice of the Revolution, advocating for the proletariat and criticizing the wealthy.

Key Reforms of the National Constituent Assembly

The King relented and invited the nobility and clergy to join the National Assembly, which then became the National Constituent Assembly. Key reforms included:

• Declaration of the Rights of Man and of the Citizen: Established fundamental rights and liberties.
• Suppression of Feudalism: Abolished feudal privileges and obligations.
• Appropriation of Church Goods: Confiscated church property.
• Civil Constitution of the Clergy: Reorganized the Catholic Church in France.
• Freedom of the Press: Guaranteed freedom of expression.
• Drafting of a New Constitution: Established a constitutional monarchy.

Political Divisions and the March on Versailles

• Emergence of Political "Right" and "Left": Supporters of a parliamentary monarchy sat on the right in the assembly, while proponents of a republic representing the middle and popular classes sat on the left.
• March on Versailles (October 1789): Rumors of the King preparing troops led to a march on Versailles. Protesters, including women, stormed the palace, beheaded members of the Royal Guard, and forced the King to move to Paris, effectively placing him under popular control.

The Constitutional Monarchy and the King's Flight

• Constitution of 1791: Established a constitutional monarchy, with sovereignty residing in the Nation, not the King.
• King's Attempted Escape: Louis XVI, seeking to regain power with foreign assistance, attempted to flee France but was captured and imprisoned.
• The Guillotine: Dr. Guillotin proposed a beheading method, which Marat named the guillotine.

The National Convention and the Abolition of the Monarchy

• War with Austria and Prussia: The Assembly declared war on Austria (Marie Antoinette's home country), and Prussia joined the conflict.
• Assault on the Tuileries Palace: On August 10, 1792, the masses assaulted the Palace of the Tuileries, leading to the suspension of the King's constitutional functions.
• Establishment of the National Convention: Elections were held to form a new parliament called the National Convention, dominated by Jacobins (led by Robespierre) and Girondins (more moderate).
• Abolition of the Monarchy and Execution of the King: The National Convention abolished the monarchy, proclaimed the Republic, and executed King Louis XVI for treason. Queen Marie Antoinette was later executed as well.

The Reign of Terror (1793-1794)

• Radicalization of the Revolution: The Revolution became increasingly radical, with the Jacobins and Girondins vying for power.
• Murder of Marat: Marat's assassination led to his deification as a martyr of the Revolution.
• New Constitution and Calendar: The National Convention drafted a new Constitution and created a new calendar, with 1792 as Year 1. Months were renamed (Floréal, Brumaire, Germinal), and weeks were abolished.
• Committee of Public Safety: The Executive power was held by the Committee of Public Safety, led by Robespierre.
• The Terror: The Jacobins initiated the Reign of Terror, a period of mass executions (10,000-40,000 guillotined) targeting perceived enemies of the Revolution.
• Internal Conflicts and Executions of Revolutionary Leaders: Danton was guillotined for advocating an end to the Terror, and Robespierre was eventually overthrown and executed, ending the Reign of Terror.

The Directory (1795-1799)

• Constitution of the Year III: After Robspierre's fall, the Constitution of the Year III was enacted, re-establishing principles of the Monarchical Constitution of 1791.
• Two-Chamber Legislature: The Legislative power was composed of two chambers, following the British model.
• The Directory: The Executive power was integrated by five people that would make up the Directory.
• Instability and Economic Crisis: The Directory was marked by dissension among the directors and a severe economic crisis.

Napoleon Bonaparte and the End of the Revolution

• Coup d'État (1799): Napoleon Bonaparte, returning from his campaign in Egypt, seized power in a coup d'état on Brumaire 18th.
• The Consulate: Napoleon became First Consul of the Republic, restoring internal order and boosting the economy.
• Establishment of the Empire (1804): Napoleon proclaimed himself Emperor, marking for many historians the end of the Revolution.

Conclusion

The French Revolution, driven by Enlightenment ideals, social inequalities, and economic crisis, transformed France and Europe. While it descended into violence and terror, it ultimately paved the way for a new political order based on the principles of Liberté, Égalité, Fraternité, which continue to resonate today.