Causes de la Révolution Française

Causes of the French Revolution

• Profound socioeconomic inequalities existed between the privileged aristocracy and the commoners (peasants, bourgeoisie).
• The First Estate (clergy), the Second Estate (nobility), and the Third Estate (everyone else) had vastly different rights and obligations.
• The Third Estate bore a disproportionate tax burden, while the privileged classes were exempt.
• Widespread food shortages and rising bread prices, particularly affecting the urban poor, exacerbated existing social tensions.
• Poor harvests led to scarcity and increased prices.
• Enlightenment ideals, emphasizing individual rights, liberty, and popular sovereignty, challenged the existing order, inspiring revolutionary thought (e.g., Rousseau, Montesquieu).
• Louis XVI's indecisiveness and poor management of the financial crisis eroded public trust.

Stages of the French Revolution

• Moderate Phase (1789-1792): Established the National Assembly, witnessed the Tennis Court Oath, the storming of the Bastille, the abolition of feudalism, the Declaration of the Rights of Man and of the Citizen, and the creation of a constitutional monarchy.
• Radical Phase (1792-1794): saw the overthrow of the monarchy, the Reign of Terror (led by Robespierre), the execution of Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette, and the establishment of the First Republic.
• Thermidorian Reaction (1794-1795): Marked the end of the Reign of Terror, ushering in a more moderate government.
• Directory (1795-1799): A five-member executive body governed France, but faced instability and corruption, ultimately leading to Napoleon's rise.

Key Figures

• Louis XVI: Last King of France prior to the abolition of the monarchy.
• Marie Antoinette: Queen of France during the revolution, known for her extravagance and unpopularity.
• Maximilien Robespierre: A prominent figure in the radical phase, who led the Reign of Terror.
• Napoleon Bonaparte: Rose to power during the Directory, later becoming Emperor.

Outcomes of the French Revolution

• The monarchy was abolished, transitioning France from an absolute monarchy to a republic.
• Revolutionary ideals of liberty, equality, and fraternity spread throughout Europe and beyond.
• A sense of national identity and unity emerged in France.
• The revolution established a foundation for future democratic reforms.
• Fundamental social and economic shifts occurred, dismantling feudal privileges and fostering the rise of the bourgeoisie.

Impact of the French Revolution

• The revolution inspired and influenced later revolutions globally.
• It altered European political boundaries and alliances, reshaping the map of Europe.
• The revolution led to the Napoleonic Wars.
• It brought significant change to European political thought and governance.

The Reign of Terror

• This period (1793-1794) involved extreme violence and political repression.
• Maximilien Robespierre led the Reign of Terror, aiming to eliminate counter-revolutionaries.
• Mass executions of suspected enemies of the revolution were a defining characteristic.
• It marked a deeply troubling aspect of the revolutionary period, highlighting its excesses.
• The Reign of Terror eventually led to the Thermidorian Reaction.