French Revolution
French Society During the Late Eighteenth Century
Population of France increased from 23 million in 1715 to 28 million in 1789, increasing demand for food grains.
Production of grains could not keep pace with demand; prices of food rose rapidly in the years before the revolution.
Most workers were employed as labourers and had fixed wages; rising food prices led to subsistence crises frequently.
The 18th century saw the emergence of social groups termed the middle class who had wealth through overseas trade and manufacturing.
Educated middle class people believed that no group in society should have privileges by birth.
Philosophers like John Locke criticised the doctrine of divine and absolute monarchy.
Rousseau proposed a form of government based on social contract between people and their representatives.
Montesquieu proposed a division of power within the government into legislature, executive, and judiciary.
These ideas were discussed in salons and coffee-houses and spread among people through books and newspapers.
The Outbreak of the French Revolution
Louis XVI called the Estates General on 5 May 1789 to pass new taxes.
The First and Second Estates had privileges and expected one vote per estate.
The Third Estate demanded each member should have one vote, but their demand was rejected.
The representatives of the Third Estate walked out and declared themselves the National Assembly.
The Third Estate assembled in the hall of an indoor tennis court in Versailles and declared not to disperse till a constitution was drafted.
The Assembly was led by Mirabeau (noble) and Abbé Sieyès (priest).
On 14 July, people stormed and destroyed the Bastille, a fortress-prison seen as a symbol of tyranny.
The fortress was hated by all as it stood for the king’s oppressive power.
In the countryside, peasants attacked manor houses and destroyed records of manorial dues.
Many nobles fled their homes; the Assembly passed a decree on 4 August 1789 to abolish feudal privileges.
The Assembly passed the Declaration of the Rights of Man and Citizen, stating rights such as liberty, property, and resistance to oppression as natural and inalienable.
The constitution of 1791 limited the powers of the monarch and established a constitutional monarchy.
France Becomes a Constitutional Monarchy
The National Assembly completed the draft of the constitution in 1791 to limit powers of the monarch.
Powers were separated into legislature, executive, and judiciary.
Citizens were categorised as ‘active’ and ‘passive’; only active citizens (men above 25 paying taxes equal to 3 days’ wages) could vote.
The new system was indirect; active citizens elected electors, who in turn elected the National Assembly.
France Abolishes Monarchy and becomes a Republic
European rulers feared the revolution; France declared war on Prussia and Austria in April 1792.
The war brought economic difficulties, including rise in food prices and unemployment.
The Jacobin Club was formed by members like Maximilian Robespierre and had a large number of small shopkeepers, artisans, and daily wage earners.
Jacobins wore long striped trousers and red caps symbolising liberty.
On 10 August 1792, Jacobins stormed the Tuileries Palace and imprisoned the king.
The monarchy was abolished and France was declared a republic on 21 September 1792.
Louis XVI was tried for treason and sentenced to death by a court.
He was executed publicly on 21 January 1793; Queen Marie Antoinette was executed shortly after.
The Reign of Terror (1793–1794)
Robespierre followed a policy of severe control and punishment, aiming to eliminate enemies of the republic.
He passed laws placing a maximum ceiling on wages and prices and rationed meat and bread.
Nobles and clergy were forced to lead simple lives; he used the guillotine for executions.
Robespierre’s policies became too harsh; he was arrested and executed in July 1794.
After his fall, the Jacobin government was replaced, and a new constitution was introduced.
A Directory Rules France
The new constitution denied the vote to non-propertied sections and provided for two elected legislative councils.
The councils appointed a Directory of five members as the executive.
Political instability continued, and this paved the way for Napoleon Bonaparte’s rise to power.
Did Women Have a Revolution?
Women were active participants in events of the revolution, demanding equal political rights and education.
They formed political clubs and newspapers to voice their opinions.
Olympe de Gouges wrote the Declaration of the Rights of Woman and Citizen in 1791 demanding equal rights for women.
She was executed during the Reign of Terror for criticising the government.
The revolutionary government introduced laws for schooling, divorce, and job training for women.
Women’s political clubs were closed in 1793, and women were banned from political activities.
The Abolition of Slavery
France used slaves in its Caribbean colonies like Martinique and San Domingo for plantation work.
The French economy depended on the triangular slave trade between Europe, Africa, and the Americas.
The Convention passed laws in 1794 to free all slaves in French overseas possessions.
Napoleon reintroduced slavery, but it was finally abolished in 1848.
The Revolution and Everyday Life
The Declaration of Rights of Man and Citizen in 1789 ended censorship and allowed freedom of speech and expression.
Revolutionary ideas were spread through newspapers, pamphlets, and plays.
Liberty cap (red), the broken chain, and the eye within a triangle became revolutionary symbols.
New hymns, festivals, and a calendar were introduced to promote unity and break from the old regime.
Social Science Class 9 Notes
What is Democracy? Why Democracy?