The French Revolution was one of the most chaotic periods not only in the history of France but also that of Europe. This was not only because of the tremendous loss of life and damage on France’s economy that the revolution led into but also because of the dramatic changes that happened after it. In this section though, the author will only focus on one major change and that would be on equality, mainly as a result of the tearing down of the physical, economic, and psychological barriers that were standing strong prior to the French Revolution. After the French revolution, French citizens, regardless of their thought, faith, language, citizenship, and historical origin, basically became free men. Everything became equal. The country was reunified. The recent upheaval brought peace and order from within. Although France was damaged by the catastrophic event, its legal framework has been positively refreshed. Power became more centralized in Paris and its bureaucracy and policies made more sense to the people. This was best shown in Article I where it was said that “men are born and remain free and equal in rights” .
Basically, I agree with the fact that the period of terror, also known as the Reign of Terror, during the early onset of the French Revolution was necessary. This is because this was the spark that the country needed in order to encourage a lot more people to participate in the Revolution.
It laid bare the real color and intent of the oppressive government and social system that not only France but also majority of Europe was in. This prompted a lot of people to become a part of the great social movement. In essence, thought unorthodox, Robespierre preserved the essence of the revolution because his goals were still fundamentally in line with what the poor social institutions and what the victims of inequalities were fighting for.
References
Britannica Encyclopaedia. (1789). Declaration of the Rights of Man and of the Citizen.
