Causes and Key Stages of the French Revolution
Causes of the French Revolution
The French Revolution was triggered by a combination of factors:
Ideas of the Enlightenment
Enlightenment thinkers promoted ideas such as the equality of all people under the law, the separation of powers, and popular sovereignty. These concepts challenged the existing absolute monarchy and social hierarchy.
Political Crisis
France was an absolute monarchy ruled by Louis XVI. The King refused to hold the Estates General, preventing the Third Estate from presenting their demands and seeking reforms.
Economic Crisis
France was facing bankruptcy. This was due in part to its support for the USA against England in the American War of Independence and the high level of spending by the monarchy. Counselors and ministers advised Louis XVI that the clergy and the nobility needed to start paying taxes. Consequently, the King was compelled to convene the Estates General.
Social Crisis
The clergy and the nobility sought to protect their traditional privileges. The bourgeoisie desired the abolition of the absolute monarchy because they were excluded from participating in government. The lower middle class and the peasantry suffered greatly due to poor harvests and high taxes, leading to widespread discontent.
Stages of the French Revolution
The National Assembly
Louis XVI convened the Estates General in 1789 primarily to address the need to increase taxes. The Third Estate proposed a new voting system based on individual votes rather than estate votes. The King refused this proposal, leading the bourgeoisie to declare themselves the sole representatives of the French people. This pivotal moment is known as the Tennis Court Oath, marking the beginning of the National Assembly. The Third Estate vowed to draft a constitution for France.
The Constituent Assembly
The King eventually accepted the Third Estate’s demands, and a new assembly was elected to write a constitution. Fear spread among the people that Louis XVI might gather troops to suppress the Assembly. In response, the people attacked the Bastille on July 14, 1789. The Assembly adopted the Declaration of the Rights of Man and of the Citizen. In 1791, the Assembly adopted a constitution for France, establishing a constitutional monarchy, popular sovereignty, and the separation of powers.
The Legislative Assembly (Constitutional Monarchy)
Following the Constitution of 1791, a new assembly was elected. Within this assembly, two important political groups emerged:
- The Girondins: They believed in the Revolution and primarily represented the bourgeoisie. They were generally moderate and aimed to improve the life of the middle class.
- The Jacobins: They also believed in the Revolution but were more radical. They wanted the King put on trial and supported the workers and poor people. They were aided by the Sans-culottes, who were Parisian workers.
In 1792, Prussia and Austria declared war on France, fearing that the revolutionary changes in France could spread to their own countries. Louis XVI attempted to flee France but was arrested by the people. This event marked the end of the monarchy and the establishment of the Republic.
The Girondin Convention
When the Republic was established, the Girondins held significant influence over France. Louis XVI was sentenced to death and executed. In response, Britain and Spain joined Austria and Prussia in the war against France.
The Jacobin Convention
The Jacobin leader, Robespierre, staged a coup and expelled the Girondins. He imposed a dictatorship known as The Terror. Robespierre fought against counter-revolutionaries, oversaw the drafting of a new constitution for France, and achieved military victories against Austria and Prussia. However, Robespierre lost support as The Terror was perceived as no longer necessary. He was deposed in 1795.