Bertumen1

CalebBertumen
Humanities10:Block2Honors
Mrs.AmbroseandMs.Augustine
14December2015
SocialandPoliticalLifeAftertheFrenchRevolution
Averybloodytime,butleavingavitalimpact.TheFrenchRevolutionwasatimewhen
thePeopleofFrancewantedachange.Theywantedchangeingovernmentthatwouldimprove
theirlifestyleByachievingthat,littledidtheyknowitwouldleadtoseveraleventsaroundthe
world.Beforetherevolution,Francewasnotapleasantplacetobein.Theywereindebt,there
wasafooddrought,andthemiddleclasswassuffering,whiletheKingandnobilityhadno
concernfortheirpeopleandthattheywerelivinginmisery.Afterdevelopingthetenacityto
changesomethingaboutthis,thePeoplerevolutionized.Therewerespecificeventsthathada
greatimpactontherevolution,aswellasothersthataroseaftertheabsolutemonarchyhad
fallen.Thelongyearsandliveslostwouldallbeworthit,asitgreatlyimpactedtheirlives
socially,madepoliticalchanges,sparkedrevolutionsaroundtheworld,andgeneratedanewidea
ofnationalidentity.
Beforetherevolutioninitiated,Francessociallifewasnotkindtothemiddleclass.The
middleclass,knownasthebourgeoisie,feltleftoutandwantedtobeinvolvedinthe
government.TheywerepartoftheThirdEstate,thelowestofthethreeestatesthatmadeupthe
EstatesGeneral.ThirdEstateheldtheleaststatuswithintheEstatesGeneral.TheThirdEstate
wasapermanentpoliticalminoritysincetheothertwoestatesactedtogether,therebyoutvoting
theThirdEstatetwotoone.(Arnold13).Eveniftheywantedsomethingdone,therewasno


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chancethatitwouldbegranted.Theywantedasayinthemanagementofthecountrytheywere
livingin.Inaddition,theywerepayingtaxes,whilethenoblesandtheothersofthehigherrank
didnot.TheClergybelongedtotheFirstEstate.Theymanagedthechurches,monasteriesand
educationalinstitutionsofFrance.Theydidnotpayanytaxtothemonarch.TheNobilitywas
regardedastheSecondEstateintheFrenchSociety.Theyalsodidnotpayanytaxtotheking.
(Rana).Astheywerelivinginverypoorconditions,theystillhadtomanagetheirmoneytopay
forthedebtofthecountry,aswellashowtohelptheirfamiliesandthemselveslive.
Thepoliticalsystembeforetherevolutionwasntasuitableformofgovernmentfora
countryinverypoorconditions.AttheheadofthecountrystoodKingLouisXVI,andhiswife
MarieAntoinette.ThekingruledasanabsolutemonarchalthoughtherewasanEstates
General.However,evenwhentheEstatesGeneralwascalled,itwasorganizedinsuchaway
thatonlythoseofnobilitycouldtrulyhaveavoice.Itwasinthismannerthatthepeoplewere
shutout.(Delp).Themainjobofagovernmentistomaintaintheircountry,andtomakesure
alleverythinginsideisfunctioningproperly.But,thepowerandtherankwastakenadvantage
of,astheyonlycaredforthemselvesandnotforthePeople,whomtheyaresupposetotakecare
of.Thebook,
ATaleofTwoCities
byCharlesDickens,takesplaceduringtheFrenchRevolution
andillustrateshowalifeofthecitizenswereduringthattime.Monseigneur,onewhoisofhigh
rankincourtandverywealthy,representsexactlyhowthegovernmentwas.Monseigneurhad
onetrulynobleideaofgeneralpublicbusiness,whichwas,toleteverythinggooninitsown
wayofparticularpublicbusiness,Monseigneurhadonetrulynobleideathatitmustallgohis
waytendtohisownpowerorpocket.Ofhispleasures,generalandparticular,Monseigneur
hadonetrulynobleidea,thattheworldwasmadeforthem.(Dickens106).Thepowerisinthe


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handsoftheKing,thenobles,andtherestoftheupperclass.But,selfishnesstakesoverandgets
inthewayoftheirmainjob,tomaintainandmakethelivesofthePeoplepeaceful.
Becauseoftheunequalnessinsociallifeandpoliticalclasses,thePeopledecidedtorebel
againsttheabsolutemonarchy,KingLouisXIV.Inaddition,thecountrywasinahugedebtafter
fundingtheAmericanRevolutionandtheywereinamajorfoodshortage.Workerstypicallyate
threepoundsofbreadeachday.Theyspentuptohalftheirwagesjustonbread,butthelinesto
purchasebreadhadbeengrowinglongerandlonger.(Arnold18).Thislackoffoodandturning
tobreadtosurvivewasthefinalstrawandbecamethesparkoftherevolution.Livingoffof
breadwasnotanacceptablelifetolive,especiallywhendoingwhateverittakestoearnmoney
andsupportafamily.Thefamine/breadshortagegavethenecessaryimpetusofemergentperil
toleadthePeopletobandtogetherandrisetoactionagainstthearistocraticalpower,stated
ExpertHistorianDavidBannen.Atthesametime,theywerepayingtaxes.Sothemoneythey
werepayingfortaxesdidnotgotothefamiliesandthePeoplewhowereinneed.The
governmentobviouslydidnotcareaboutthissituation,sothePeopleweretheonlyoneswho
coulddohingaboutit.
Outofalltheimportanteventsandwarfare,themostimpactfulonewasthefirstevent,
the1789July14thBastilleinvasion.DavidBrannenstatedTheStormingoftheBastille
demonstratedthatthePeoplecouldseizetruepoweratanymoment,foranyreason,andateven
thehighestlevel.ThiswasthefirstactofdefianceforthePeople,asitinitiatedtherevolution.
Thisimplantedastatementonthecountry,showingthatthePeoplearetheoneswhotrulyhave
thepower.ApopularinsurgencyculminatedonJuly14whenriotersstormedtheBastille
fortressinanattempttosecuregunpowderandweapons.("FrenchRevolution.").Thiswasthe


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bestwaytostartofftheFrenchRevolution.Toshowthattheyhavegreatpower,andarming
themselveswithweaponstotakedownthegovernment.
Throughoutthetherevolution,thereweremanyimportanteventsthatoccurred.They
includeformingofgroups,creationofconstitutions,attacks,andsoforth..Firstoff,TheThird
EstateformedtheNationalAssembly.In1789,theygatheredinanindoortenniscourtin
Versailles,wheretheypledgednottodisbanduntilFrancehadaworkingconstitution.(The
Constitutionof1791.).
T
hen,in1791,theNationalAssemblycreatedtheConstitutionof1791.
TheConstitutionestablishedanindependent,electedjudiciarytoreplacetheparlementsand
othercourtsoftheOldRegime.(Anderson).Bydoingthis,theyseparatedFranceinto
eightythreedepartments,eachofthembeingsubdividedintoarrondissements.Anotherevent
wastheMarchtoVersailles.ThistookplaceinOctoberof1789,where
alargecrowdof
protesters,mostlywomen,marchedfromParistothePalaceofVersailles,convincedthatthe
royalfamilyandnobilitytherelivedinluxury,oblivioustothehardshipsoftheFrenchpeople.

("Listof10MajorEventsoftheFrenchRevolution.").Theybrokeintotheroomwherethewife
oftheKingwas,MarieAntoinette.Theydemandedandforcedtheroyalfamilytomovebackto
Paristoliveamongthepeople.
BecauseoftherevolutiontakingplaceinFrance,othercountriesfearedthatthiswill
happentothem.ThiscausedAustriaandPrussiatoteamupandtogotowaragainstFranceto
helpstoptheoverthrowingofFrancesgovernment,sotherevolutionwillnotsucceedandspark
oneintheirs.
OnApr.20,1792,FrancedeclaredwaronAustria.
(
"FrenchRevolutionary
Wars.").In1793,afterallthisconflict,attacks,rebellions,theKingwasexecuted,aswellashis
wifeninemonthslater.


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ThedeathofKingLouisXVIdidnotmarktheendoftheFrenchRevolution.Under
Robespierre,theCommitteewouldcarryouttheReignofTerrorduringwhichtensof
thousandswouldbechargedasenemiesofthestate,quicklytried,andthenexecuted.Forover
ayear,theexecutionsproceeded.(Bishop).Anyonewhowasaccusedoreven,atanytime,
associatedwithanyrebelsorwasarebeloftherevolution,theywereimmediatelytriedandwas
mostlikelygoingtobeexecuted.Thislastedaboutayear,asnumerousamountsofpeoplewere
executedbytheguillotine.
ThencametheriseofNapoleonBonaparte.Heledmanyarmiesanddefeatedthe
opposingcountries,HeledaFrencharmyovertheAlpsintoItaly.Herehedefeatedthe
AustriansatthedecisiveBattleofMarengo.(Arnold87).Afterendingrevolutionarywars,he
rosetopower.HimbeingattheleadreformedmanyaspectsofFrance.Thisthenleadtothe
NapoleonicEra.
TheFrenchRevolutionleftahugeimpactnotonlyonFrance,butitsparkedrevolutions
inmanyothercountriesandgeneratedanewideaofnationalidentity,knownasnationalism.
AftertheFrenchRevolution,nationalismbecamethemostimportanthumanpoliticalforcein
theworld.(Arnold129).Nationalismisanideaofnationalidentitythatcitizenshavea
combinationofrightsfromdutiestothenationinwhichtheylive,replacingthegivenprivileged
rightstotherulersandthedutiestothecitizens.Thisgavepeopletheconfidencealloverthe
worldtorebelandrevolutionize,creatingwar.TheFrenchRevolutionsparkedanew
constitutioninPolandin1791,rebellionsintheHabsburgEmpire,reformersandrebelsin
southeasternEurope,andmanymore.


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ThereweremanysocialchangeforFrance.DavidBrannenstatedifonelooksbeyond
theinitialrevolution,theRobespierreErapurges,andeventheNapoleonicWars,ample
evidenceexiststosupporttheargumentthatthevaluesofequalityandfraternityimbuedbythose
whostokedtheRevolutionindeedtookrootinFrenchculture,andpermeateitssocietytothis
veryday.Therewasalsotheendoffeudalrule,oneofthegreatestsocialchange.Thepayingto
higherpeoplechangedaswell.Insteadofpayingrenttolordsofnoblebirth,peasantspaid
wealthylandlords.(Arnold126).Forthetaxproblem,themoneywasnotusedtopayoffthe
debtofwars,instead,whenNapoleonwasincontrol,theyfinancednewwars.Therealsowas
changewhentherevolutionarygovernmentforcedthechurchtosellitsproperty,asthewealthy
purchasedthem.
Thereweremanypoliticalchangestothiscountrythatalsoappliedtotheworld.Oneof
thechangeswaswhentheygotridoftheabsolutemonarchyandtheEstatesGenerals.The
ideaofthreeestateswasabolished,aswerenobleandchurchprivilegesnobilitycompletely
ended,andchurchlandswerenationalizedandsold,causingafulltenthofalllandinFranceto
changehands,amassiveredistribution.(Wilde).Throughouttherevolution,manydifferent
governmentsformed.TheyincludetheNationalAssembly,LegislativeAssembly,Consulate,
TheFrenchrepublicwithNapoleon,andthereturnofmonarchywithLouisXVIII.
However,in
theshortterm,validargumentcanbemadethatthepoliticallandscapeworsenedandindeed
servedasacauseofbloodshed.TheR
obespierrepurgesandNapoleonicWarsserveaschilling
evidencetothissupposition.Nonetheless,overthetimethathasfollowedtheseperiodsof
history,thestarkchangeinthepoliticallandscapeisbothunmistakableandstriking.stated
DavidBrannen.Therewerealsonewpoliticalideologiescreatedduringtheaftermathofthe


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revolution.Theywereconservatismandliberalism:(Arnold127).Conservatismpreventednew
upheavalsandnewrevolutions.Liberalismpromotedthatcitizensarebornwithrightsandcan
maketheirowndecisionsregardingtheirfuture.Also,thepoliticallabelsofleftandright
werecreated.Backwhentheassemblyfirstconvened,theradicalssattogetherononesside,to
theleftoftheleaderschair.Theiropponentssatontherightsideoftheleader(Arnold128).
Socialistpoliticianscreatedthelabelsorpoliticalcategoriesofleftandright.Leftassociated
withrevolutionarychange,whilerightwaswithoppositiontosuchchange.Theyalsousethe
termsleftwingandrightwing.Theseareusedtodescribepoliticalgroupsaroundtheworld.
TheFrenchRevolutionhasleftavitalimpactonthesociallifeandmademanypolitical
changes.Notonlythat,buttheysparkedrevolutionsaroundtheworldandcreatednationalism.
Developmentofthenewpoliticalparties,theoverpoweringoftheabsolutemonarch,andtheend
offeudalruleareafewofthechangesthatoccurredwhenthePeoplefoundaproblemand
soughtchange.Thesewerenoteasychangestoproduceastherevolutionlastedmanyyearsand
consistedofalotofviolenceandbloodshed.Butitwasallworthitattheend.Therevolution
hadimpactednotonlytheircountry,buttheworld.


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