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Who was Maximilien Robespierre, and what was his role in the Revolution?
Robespierre was a leader of the Jacobins and a key figure during the Reign of Terror.
Advocated for democracy, universal suffrage, and the execution of Louis XVI.
Justified the use of terror to preserve the Republic and eliminate counter-revolutionaries.
What was the role of Louis XVI in the Revolution?
Initially attempted to cooperate with constitutional monarchy but resisted reforms.
His failed escape (Flight to Varennes) in 1791 shattered trust in the monarchy.
Put on trial and executed as 'Louis Capet' in 1793, marking the official end of the monarchy.
Girondins
Moderate revolutionaries who supported a constitutional government and opposed radical violence.
Montagnards (Jacobins)
Led by Robespierre, they supported centralization, economic controls, and mass executions.
What was Napoleon Bonaparte's connection to the Revolution?
-Rose to prominence due to military victories for the French Republic.
-Used the chaos of the Revolution to launch a coup d'état (18 Brumaire, 1799), establishing the Consulate and effectively ending the Revolutionary period.
How did Enlightenment ideas influence the Revolution?
-Philosophers like Rousseau, Montesquieu, and Voltaire promoted liberty, equality, and popular sovereignty.
-The Revolution embodied social contract theory, challenging divine right monarchy.
What were the fundamental principles of the Declaration of the Rights of Man (Déclaration des Droits de l'Homme)?
-Established the principles of liberty, equality, and fraternity.
-Affirmed natural rights, freedom of speech, religious tolerance, and fair taxation.
-Contradictions arose as these rights were not extended to women, enslaved people, or the poor.
What was the role of nationalism in the Revolution?
-The Revolution transformed France from a monarchy to a national republic, encouraging loyalty to the nation instead of the king.
-War against Austria and Prussia fueled patriotic fervor, with the La Marseillaise becoming the national anthem.
How did the concept of property shape revolutionary debates?
-Some (like Robespierre) believed property should be regulated for the public good.
-Others, including Girondins, defended free-market principles and opposed state interference in property rights.
What was the Estates General (États Généraux)?
A medieval advisory body made up of three estates:
-Clergé (First Estate)
-Noblesse (Second Estate)
-tiers état (Third Estate)
Who formed l'assemblee nationale?
The Third Estate broke away in 1789, forming the National Assembly (Assemblée nationale), which marked the start of the Revolution.
What was the National Convention (Convention nationale)?
-Replaced the National Assembly in 1792 and formally abolished the monarchy.
-Oversaw the execution of Louis XVI and implemented radical reforms, including price controls.
What was the Committee of Public Safety (Comité de salut public)?
-Led by Robespierre, it acted as the executive branch during the Reign of Terror.
-Controlled the Revolutionary Tribunal, which sentenced thousands to death for "treason."
What was the Directory (Directoire), and why did it fail?
-A five-man executive government that ruled from 1795 to 1799 after the fall of Robespierre.
-Weak and corrupt, it relied on military force, paving the way for Napoleon's coup in 1799.
Who was Jean-Paul Marat, and what was his role in the Revolution?
-A physician and radical journalist, known for his newspaper L'Ami du Peuple (Friend of the People).
-Advocated for direct action and popular violence against enemies of the Revolution.
-Played a role in the September Massacres (Massacres de septembre) of 1792.
-Assassinated by Charlotte Corday, a Girondin supporter, in 1793.
What were Marat's views on social structure and revolution?
-Advocated for popular democracy, seeing the common people (sans-culottes) as the true sovereigns.
-Opposed economic liberalism, supporting state intervention in wages and pricing.
-Believed in revolutionary justice, arguing that counter-revolutionaries should be executed.
Who were the Enragés, and what did they believe?
-A radical faction of the sans-culottes led by Jean Varlet and Jacques Roux.
-Called for economic regulation and protection of the poor against hoarders and merchants.
-Opposed both royalists and moderate revolutionaries, believing the Republic still favored the rich.
What was Jean Varlet's contribution to revolutionary thought?
-Advocated for direct democracy, rejecting representative government as a betrayal of the people.
-Called for "Le Peuple Souverain" (The Sovereign People) to control governance directly.
-Argued that social inequality was a continuation of tyranny, even under a Republic.
What was the impact of the Enragés?
-Pressured the Convention to enact price controls on bread and essential goods.
-Criticized the Jacobins for not going far enough in economic and social reforms.
-Ultimately repressed by Robespierre and the Jacobins, who saw them as a threat.
Who was Gracchus Babeuf, and what was the "Conjuration des Égaux" (Conspiracy of the Equals)?
-A revolutionary journalist who became the leader of the first organized socialist movement.
-Proposed abolishing private property and redistributing land to ensure economic equality.
-Formed a secret revolutionary society called the Conjuration des Égaux (Conspiracy of Equals) in 1796.
-Arrested and executed in 1797 for attempting a socialist insurrection.
What were the core ideas of the "Manifesto of the Plebeians" (Manifeste des Plébéiens)?
-Equality of wealth: Demanded that all property be distributed equally.
-Abolition of inheritance: Claimed that passing down wealth created perpetual inequality.
-Common ownership: Called for collective farms and industries to eliminate economic exploitation.
-Revolutionary dictatorship: Advocated a temporary "dictatorship of the poor" to implement reforms.
Was Babeuf the first socialist?
-Yes, in some ways: He was the first to argue for economic communism as a revolutionary goal.
-No, in others: His ideas were based on radical Enlightenment thought rather than modern socialism.
-Influenced later revolutionaries like Karl Marx, who admired his call for class struggle.
What role did the Jacobin Club (Club des Jacobins) play in the Revolution?
-A radical political club that promoted republicanism, centralized government, and popular sovereignty.
-Dominated by Robespierre, Saint-Just, and Couthon during the Reign of Terror (Terreur).
-Eliminated rival factions like the Girondins and the Enragés.
How did the concept of "Le Peuple Souverain" (The Sovereign People) evolve?
-Early Revolution (1789-1792): Emphasized representative government and constitutional rights.
-Radical Period (1793-1794): Shifted to direct democracy, with calls for the people to rule without representatives.
-Post-Terror (1795-1799): Suppressed by the Directory (Directoire), which sought to restore stability.
What was the economic debate during the Revolution?
-Liberals (Girondins): Supported free markets and private property.
-Jacobins (Robespierre, Saint-Just): Imposed price controls and rationing to protect the poor.
-Social Radicals (Babeuf, Enragés): Wanted to abolish capitalism and create a planned economy.
What role did the bourgeoisie (bourgeoisie) play before 1789?
-A rising class with financial, rural, and legal elites.
-Tied to commerce, industry, and manufacturing.
Why did the bourgeoisie oppose the Church and aristocracy?
-The Church: Many supported Jansenism, which challenged religious authority.
-The Aristocracy: Resisted reforms like those of Turgot (1774-1776) that threatened noble privileges.
What was Antoine Barnave's view on the Revolution?
-Believed the final aristocracy to destroy was the aristocracy of property.
-Saw the bourgeoisie as the new ruling class.
What was the Commune de Paris?
A radical municipal government that mobilized revolutionary action.
How did the Commune contribute to the Revolution?
-Organized protests, backed sans-culottes, and challenged the monarchy.
-Encouraged laws against hoarding and speculation.
Who were the Hébertists (Hébertistes) and the Enragés (Les Enragés)?
-Hébertists: Radical Jacobins, supported mass executions.
-Enragés: Demanded economic justice, called for price controls.
What was Jacques Roux's main demand?
Regulation of food prices and punishment of merchants profiting off shortages.
What was Robespierre's stance on property?
"The right to property is limited by the obligation to respect others' rights."
How did Marat's views on property differ from Robespierre?
Some saw him as a reactionary for defending traditional economic structures.
What was the Le Chapelier Law (1791)?
Banned guilds and worker associations to prevent collective bargaining.
Who was Gracchus Babeuf?
A revolutionary who opposed private property and wanted economic equality.
What was the Conspiracy of the Equals (Conjuration des Égaux)?
A secret movement aiming to abolish private property.
Why did Babeuf's movement fail?
Betrayed by Grisel, arrested in 1796, executed in 1797.
What economic policies resembled socialism during the rev?
Calls for wealth redistribution and worker protections.
How did Babeuf define the Revolution?
A war between patricians and plebeians, the rich and poor.
How did Babeuf plan to implement his ideas?
Secret societies and revolutionary propaganda.
Why did some favor a temporary dictatorship?
To enforce economic reforms before establishing democracy.
What were the key goals of the Conspiracy of the Equals?
Abolish private property and establish collective ownership.
Was the Revolution mainly a bourgeois movement?
Yes: The bourgeoisie gained political power
Why did socialism fail to take hold?
The Jacobins suppressed radical economic policies.
What was Babeuf's lasting impact?
Inspired later socialist and communist movements.
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