revolutionary governments and their goals alter during the course of the French revolution
Uploaded by WentingShu on Mar 09, 2014
The French Revolution itself took three stages, the Moderate Stage, the Radical Stage, and the Reactionary Stage. Throughout the French Revolution the different revolutionary governments and their purposes shifted from one to another as time progresses. During this progress one can see how change was made by the French citizens and its sprit and eventually democracy was achieved.
The French Revolution begun with the formation of National Assembly (later known as the Constituents Assembly) on June 20, 1789. The primary goals of its time was to was end the social injustices such as issues of taxation without presentation and natural rights that must be guaranteed. On August 26, 1789 the Declaration of Rights of Man and Citizen was passed. In it provided the freedom of speech, thought, and religion; due process was of law was guaranteed; taxes could be imposed only by the consent of the governed; the right to rule was said to be not only the king’s but the whole nation’s. During this time the French political goals were trying to alter make France into a Constitution Monarchy and have an elected Legislative body.
In June of 1791, the royal family fled toward the counterrevolutionary army. However, they were discovered and sent back to his palace. Soon afterwards the people of France lost faith in the monarchy and the Tuileries were stormed, the king was taken prisoner. The angry mobs slaughtered over a thousand of priests, bourgeois, and aristocrats who opposed their program. This event marked the rise of Jacobins and the dictatorial Committee of Public Safety which was also the era of Reign of Terror. The leader of the Jacobins, Maximilien Robespierre pushed for execution of Louis XVI and his queen, Marie Antoinette in the year of 1793. In this era of French history, the political goals shifted from Constitutional Monarchy to a Republic. And the main goal of this time was to ensure the political power centralized with the Jacobin. In this event the Enrages (radical working class) leaders of Paris seized and arrested Girondist members of the National Convention and left the Jacobins in main control. Other goals included insurance that under the Terror there will only be supporters of the Revolutionary movements and stripped the First Estate of its power.
As time progressed, the Jacobins lost their power and Maximilien Robespierre lost his power. After his death, the National Convention decided to establish a directory...