Outlines of the French Revolution
The Estates General
The meeting by the Estates General was held for the first time in 1789 in the town of Versailles since the 1614 meeting of the French Estates General. It was an assembly that represented what was known as estates of the realm of the French. It comprised the First Estate (clergy), the Second (nobles), and the Third (it purported to represent the commoners but in essence only had the bourgeoisie). The Estates General meeting of 1789 was requested by King Louis XVI. It was held between 5 May and 23 June of that year. The aim of summoning the meeting was so that the king could suggest solutions to the financial problems that were bedeviling the government. However, the meeting developed a stalemate due to the disagreements of the over their authorities. When most of the members within the Third Estate broke off and formed the National Assembly, the meeting aborted. This led to the beginning of the French Revolution.
Despite efforts to keep the three estates together, through various meetings including one organized by a nobleman, Honore Mirabeau who was elected to represent the Third Estate, the three arms could not come to an agreement on provisions of the legislature and the sharing of legislative power amongst them. On 27 May, the Second Estate voted for separation in verification. On 13 June 1789, the Communes resolved to scrutinize the authority of the three estates and invited the nobles and the clergy. On 17 June, the Third Estate finished their verification process. They renamed themselves, the National Assembly.
The National Assembly
The National Assembly during the French Revolution was in existence only between 17 June 1789 and 9 July 1789. It paved the way for the National Constituent Assembly. Nonetheless, the creation of the National Assembly was as a result of the Third Estate abandoning the Estates General meeting to form their own grouping and together they called themselves the Communes, which meant the Commons. They were not happy that despite being offered double representation in the Estates General meeting, any voting done would not be in terms of the total persons per estate, but by estate. This meant that even their double numbers would not help them because the other two estates would vote together, making any result be a two-vote against one.
Attempts to bring the estates together failed, and by 28 May, the Third Estate commenced on conducting their own separate meetings under the name Communes. However, afterwards from 13 to 17 June some nobles of the Second Estate, a majority of the clergy from the First Estate and a large number of peasants joined them in their meetings. It was on 17 June 1789 that the group adopted the name National Assembly.
In order to be close to those that could offer credit that was going to finance the gaping national debt; the new assembly aligned itself with the French capitalists. What followed was a declaration that all the debts that had been imposed were done so illegally and also carried out a consolidation of the national debt. There was a provisional imposition of the debts so long as the national assembly was still sitting. Those among the capitalists felt great confidence in these moves and retained the interest to see the National Assembly in session. The common people also slightly got some gain by the establishment of a committee that was mandated to look into issues of food shortages.
Liberty, Equality and Fraternity:
This is currently the national motto of the French people, which in summary stands for ‘brotherhood’. Its origins are traced from a proposition made by Club des Cordeliers in May 1791 after a speech from marquis de Guichardin on the French Army. During the French Revolution, its order and compatibility were discussed. However, it was not the only one, neither was it fully committed to by the French before what was known as the Third Republic towards the end of the 19th Century. The Third Republic was a republican government that replaced the Third French Empire after its collapse in 1870.
The significance of the word ‘fraternity’ led to the drafting of the Declaration of the Rights of Woman and the Female Citizen by female French journalist, Olympe de Gouges. Other mottos took shape from the beginning of 1789 when the French Revolution was starting its maiden journey. In that year’s Declaration of the Rights of Man and of Other Citizen, the motto ‘liberty, equality, fraternity’ was ignored and only barely mentioned in the 1791 French Constitution. The 1793 draft Declaration by Maximilien Robespierre also alluded to the motto, putting it as; ‘Equality, Liberty, Safety, Property’ and leaving out the word ‘fraternity’. This was seen as the conceivable collective branch of the Declaration of Rights. However, in the August 1793 Declaration, the motto did not appear at all.
The all-important Declaration of the Rights of Man and of Other Citizen in various articles gave significant definitions to the words of the motto, ‘liberty, equality, fraternity’. In article 4, ‘liberty’ was defined as consisting of the ability to perform things that do not cause harm others. Hence, the practice of every man’s or woman’s natural rights does not have any bounds apart from those guaranteeing other members of the society the satisfaction of their rights as well. (Kropotkin et al.)
In article 6 of the same Declaration, ‘equality’ was defined from the angle of judicial equality and ascension that was based on merit to government positions. The definition stated that there has to be similarity in the law for everyone. It does not matter if it provides protection or punishment. It continued to state that every citizen is equal in the eyes of the law and are equally entitled to all high government offices, public posts and employments. The positions are according to their aptitude, and other distinctions do not apply apart from those that dwell on talents and virtues. (Kroptokin et al.)
Nonetheless, the word ‘fraternity’ did not get an actual definition in the Declaration. It was often replaced by other words within the motto as explained earlier. The seventeen articles of the Declaration gave various definitions of what was important for man and for the citizen, especially of the French nation. The motto got acceptance and official adoption in 1848 during the February Revolution mostly due to pressure from the French people. The motto was written on the flag and adopted as the official motto of the French.
The Convention:
The National Convention, during the French Revolution, was made up of two assemblies; namely the legislative and the constitutional. The assembly bore policy-making powers in the initial years of the First Republic of France and later replaced by the Directory on 2 November 1795. Among those in its membership were Maximilien Robespierre who was a member of the Jacobin Club, an affiliate of the Jacobin Club, Jean-Paul Marat, and Georges Danton who was amongst the respective ermember of the Cordeliers. The executive power was transferred de facto to Committee of Public Safety in 1793 to 1794.
Since then, most countries in Europe, including France have not used elected constitutional convention to aid in the drafting of their constitutions. From then, most countries have relied on legislative and executive branches to create constitutional drafts before sending them to the electorate for a referendum.
The Directory:
The French Convention was inherited by the Directory which held executive powers and consisted of five directors. The Directory regime lasted between 2 November 1795 and 10 November 1799. However, it was divided into two periods of the First Directory and the Second Directory due to the split by the Coup of 18 Fructidor. The establishment of the Directory almost symbolized the end of the French Revolution because the people were tired of violence and needed a moment of peace and wanted the restoration of Louis XVIII. However, the period of four of the Directory’s existence offered unrest and the brutalities that followed made any real reconciliation between warring parties impossible. The same factors that had led to the breaking of the convention, for example, self-preservation and the need for more power and influence led to the split of various parties during the Directory era and their deep need to have more predominance in the application of the legislative authority.
Most members of the French populace wanted to be rid of the rulers within the Directory. Nonetheless, the rulers ignored the provisions of the constitution and even when losing in elections, they decided to stretch the time of the war to hold on to power. The army was ready and willing to go to war; thus it was used by the Directory to keep the people at bay. The financial position of the government was in bad shape. The Directory had to plunder what was left to finance the government’s activities and also solicit help from those countries that supported its course. The Directory knew that if peace prevailed, it would be the members to lose. They would face the wrath of the people who would hold them to account for the atrocities they had committed and the plunder they had squared against the resources of the people. They also feared being replaced by the army generals who were also nursing ambitions of their own to rule.
On 9 November 1799, the Directory rule came to a sudden end after the coup de’tat of 18 Brumaire. This also marked the end of the French Revolution after Napoleon Bonaparte kicked the Directory out of power and in its stead put up the Consulate.
IDEALS OF THE FRENCH REVOLUTION AND THEIR FULFILLMENT
During the French Revolution that began in 1789, various ideals and ideologies were embraced that sought to change the course of rule of the French people. These ideologies were under what was known as the enlightenment principles which included the equality, citizenship and inalienable rights. This was an era that saw deep-seated political and social turmoil in France and had a long-term bearing on the history of the French and the world as a whole.
The French Revolution ideals are ideally represented by the Declaration of the Rights of Man and of the Citizen of 1789. After Napoleon Bonaparte over-threw the Directory in 1799, he kept many rights that had been gained during the revolution. He also affirmed them with the civil code that was known as the Napoleonic Code. He ended the French Revolution by putting the necessary order to make France stable after years of turmoil and great instability in France. Though it was put under the control of the state, Napoleon allowed the return of the church to France. At the same time, he allowed emigrants to go back to France and establish a new kind of nobility that was based on merit. These ideals and merits were factors considered as against the French Revolution.
Those who led the French Revolution made an effort to impose a communist-like totalitarian state. Consequently, many leaders of the First Republic of the French became dishonest, corrupt and incompetent at their jobs. Due to this, a majority of the French commoners saw the need to go back to a monarchical system that would take care of their needs in the best way using the new privileges and rights they had gained through the various declarations, and especially the one on the rights of man and of the citizen. After the revolution, there was a collective sigh of relief from the people. Napoleon’s rule brought about a sense of stability, rule of law and justice to France. It also allowed the French people to keep the rights that had been fought for and gained over the period of unrest.
Therefore, a majority, if not all the ideals of the French Revolution were fulfilled. As a matter of fact, the ideas, ideals and ideologies of the revolution reverberated to other parts of the world with different countries adopting the declaration of the inalienable rights and the right of the people to vote, have equality and recognized citizenship. There was an achievement of a liberal constitutional monarchy which was considered the best system of rule for the French people who had learned the price of freedom through the period of the revolution. The French had learned that the sovereignty of the nation was better split between various centers of power, which offered different levels of checks and balances, which would then prevent a relapse of the kind of rule experienced pre and during the revolution. The fulfillment of the ideals that began the French Revolution was as important to the people of France as it was important for the leaders to hold on to leadership.
Equality was achieved, to a desirable level, and the people were particularly happy with how the government was running the state affairs. More power was given to the people, to vote and to make decisions that decided the directions that their lives would take. The disquiet died out, and complaints that marked the period during the revolution were no longer heard. The structure of the leadership was refined to include the Crown, the aristocratic society, the church, the members of the nobility and the common citizens. At the same time, the ideal of citizenship was upheld, and those who had fled to other countries during the revolution were allowed to come back and claim their French nationalities. It was easier for the ‘refugees’ to come back home after noticing that the leadership was taking the wishes of the people into account.
The rights of the people were at the heart of the Napoleon monarchy, and the governments that succeeded it after. The inalienable rights that had been achieved over such a long period of strife during the revolution were being upheld to some level. The ride to the total observation of the needs of the people was still a long way from being realized but something was being done to achieve that.
Conclusion
Rulers of the people of France, in the formation of a National Assembly, contemplated the risk of forgetfulness, ignorance and contempt of the rights of man being contributing causes of public misfortunes and leading to corrupt Governments. The resolution that was made to define what was right for man and citizen in the Declaration meant that the ideals of the revolution were being adhered to. The achievement of the inalienable, sacred and natural rights of man presented a near-perfect condition for the French to revel in true freedom.
In order to judge how the ideals of the French Revolution were fulfilled, we can look at how the rest of the world began adopting the tenets of the Declaration that spoke to and appealed to every man and nation. The French had indeed set the pace for a people-driven government, a system of government that actually works, leadership that is true to its task and people that are happy to belong to the French state. Other countries opened up their systems of governance after seeing how important the declaration of rights, equality and citizenship were for sovereignty of any nation.
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