THE FRENCH REVOLUTION OF 1789

The French revolution refers to the fundamental change that France experienced
between 1789 up to the rise of Napoleon to power in 1799. Before the revolution, France was ruled by Bourbon monarchs who had absolute powers,
ruling without constitution, no parliament, and therefore, the king was the law and the laws were made by the king.

THE CAUSES OF THE FRENCH REVOLUTION OF 1789.

1. The nature of the ancient regime.

The ancient regime was characterized by:

a)      Dictatorial kings with absolute powers.eg, king LouisXVI remarked, “ The thing is Legal because I wish it so”

b)      There was no parliament in the ancient regime; many grievances accumulated un discussed. France had taken 175 years without the parliament meeting to discuss problems in France.

c)      There was no constitution governing the French men.

d)      Using the Arrest warrant called Lettres De Cachet; the French men were imprisoned without trial by courts of law. This definitely caused a revolution in France.

2. The Financial crisis in France.

France experienced financial crisis by 1789.This was brought about by extravagance of King Louis XVI and his wife Marie Antoinette. Financial crisis caused the revolution in the following ways.

a)      The government was forced to borrow money from the middle class to pay the workers, and when the money was not paid, the middle class started the revolution.

b)      Because of financial crisis, the government failed to Solve economic hardships like inflation,unemployment,etc

c)      Financial crisis led to the calling of the meeting of the estate general that sparked off the revolution.

d)      Financial crisis further, exposed the weaknesses of King LouisXVI as a failure.

3. The weaknesses of King LouisXVI.

King LouiXVI was the last bourbon monarch who ruled France during the eve of the French revolution. He was aweak; fat dull man got married to a beautiful chicken brain woman Marie Antoinette who ill advises the king. His weaknesses caused a revolution in many ways;

a)      The king lacked advisors; his only advisor was his wife. That is why Merabeau remarked.” The King has only one man around him, his wife’

b)      The king failed to make the seating arrangement during the estate general meeting that was called on 5^th May 1789.

c)      King LouisXVI confined himself in the palace and remained un popular to French men

d)      More importantly, the king was too arrogant, dictatorial to the French men, causing a revolution.eg, He remarked. The thing is legal because wished it so”

4. Economic hardships in France.

By 1789, France was experiencing economic distress such as inflation, un employment, famine, etc.it led the to the revolution in the following ways:

a)      Led to rural urban migration and unemployed people in towns organized themselves in to mobs that caused a revolution.

b)      The king never took any step to fight economic crisis, which left him un popular. Causing a revolution.

c)      The economic crisis mostly hit the poor Third estate who organized a revolution.

d)      Political philosophers got a talking point and enlighten the masses to fight against the ancient regime.

5. The role of the political philosophers.

Political philosophers were men of great thingkers, highly educated intellectuals in France who enlighten the masses with their writings. The common ones among others were, Voltaire, Montesgue, and Rosou.The caused the revolution in the the following ways:

a)      Exposed the weaknesses of the ancient regime making it unpopular to the Frenchmen.eg, Voltaire attacked the religious intolerance, where tithe was made compulsory to Frenchmen.

b)      Advocated for the democratic form of government as being the best for the French men.

6. The American war of independence of 1775 to 1783.

During American war of independence, France assisted American Financially, militarily and this caused a revolution in France in the following ways.

a) The Frenchmen who participated in the American war came back and demanded for change.eg the likes of General Lafayette.

c)      It led to financial crisis in France as they had to spend a lot of the French resources to finance the war. This led to the out break of the French revolution in 1789.

7. The Seven year war for colony in India with Britain:

France fought with Britain in order to colonize India. In this wars that lasted for seven years, France was defeated by Britain and lost her colony in India. This caused a revolution in the following ways.

a)      These wars led to financial crisis in France as they had to use a lot of money to finance the war, leading to the revolution.

b)      The Frenchmen turned their blame to the king for dragging them into unproductive wars, leading to the revolution in 1789.

c)      The war led to the collapse of the French industries as they lost the major source of raw material in India to Britain. This caused unemployment.

d)      Many Frenchmen died in the war that left the regime of King LouisXVI un popular before the Frenchmen.

8. The Influence of England.

When the Frenchmen compared themselves with the Engishmen, they found that they were behind politically, socially and economically. This caused a revolution in many ways;

a)      The Englishmen had a constitutional form of government that the Frenchmen had also to demand for it, causing that revolution.

b)      In England, There was a functional Parliament which was also demanded by the French men.

c)      Economically, England was doing very well, and the French had to revolt and blamed the their government for such economic hardship in their country

9. The role of Marie Antoinette, the King’s wife;

Marie Antoinette was beautiful but with a chicken brain (too stupid, and no reasoning capacity).Making matters worse, she was not liked by the Frenchmen because of being foreigner i.e. an Austrian and in the same way she did not also like the French. She caused a revolution in the following ways;

a)      Antoinette was the most extravagant Woman in the history of the world. She would put on 4 different pairs of shoes a very week, organized slavish parties every week which caused financial crisis in France, leading to the revolution.

b)      She would openly abuse and insult the Frenchmen.eg She once remarked to the angry mob that.” If they can not afford bread, them go and by cake.

c)      She always confined King LouisXVI at the palace and in the bedroom practicing bedroom politics, making the king to remain unpopular.

d)      Antoinette always ill advice the king.eg she advised the king to dismiss the financial controllers, Turgot and Nicker who were trying to improve on the French economy which annoyed the Frenchmen leading the outbreak of the revolution in 1789.

10. The calling of the meeting of the estate General on the 5^th May 1789.

This was the lat event that sparked off the revolution. The king was advised to call for the meeting to solve the problems that the French men were facing. This event caused the revolution in the following ways.

a)      In the meeting, the king failed to make the seating arrangement. He still demanded that people should sit according to classes which was rejected the third Estate, leading to the revolution.

b)      The meeting exposed the weaknesses of king LouisXVI.He could not even address the Frenchmen and shortly, the king started shedding tears before the Frenchmen.

c)      It was the meeting that people realized that the king had no plan to solve the problems faced by the Frenchmen.

d)      The king and his wife including the nobles shortly left the room leaving the third estate to discuss their problems which gave a revolution its starting point and by that level, the revolution would not be avoided.

THE 10 MAJOR EVENTS IN THE COURSE OF THE FRENCH REVOLUTION

(1789-1799)

1. The Calling of the meeting of the general Estate on the 5^th May 1789.

This is the most significant event that sparked off the revolution. This meeting was called to solve the problems faced by the French people. This even was significant because:

a)      It marked the beginning and the revival of the parliament that had been abandoned for a period of over 175 Years.

b)      Exposed the weaknesses of King LouisXVI.He failed to address the French people but instead, Sheded tears before the French men.

c)      In this even, Constitutions were made to govern the French men.

d)      People made an Oath to remain faithful and never to give up   not until France was given a constitution.

2. The Storming of the Bastille on the 28^th June 1789.

Bastille was the state prison where people who were arrested by letters de cachet were imprisoned. The storming of the Bastille was significant in the sense that.

a)      Storming of the Bastille prison ended the tyranny and lettress de cachet.

b)      Revolutionaries were able to acquire some fire arms that became so significant in the course of the revolution.

c)      Many prisoners were released and they helped in fighting the ancient regime.

3 The Declaration of the rights of man.

The Frenchmen were given their human rights they deserved in the course of the revolution. This even was important in that:

a)      People were given freedom of worship, not imposing Catholic religion on people as it used to be.

b)      The right to speech was granted to all French men. By this time, all French men could speak out whatever they wished to say.

c)      The right to Association was also given. They were free to form political parties.

4. The march of women to Versailles.

This was the demonstration that was to be basically carried out by women and they were chosen   believing that their present would make the king accept to sign the document of right of man. However, some men were dressed in women attires.This even was important in the sense that.

a)      It clearly shows that even women took part in the course of the French revolution and they supported it.

b)      The king was forced to sign the document against his own will due to presence of women.

c)      By this time, the king was more of the prisoner than the king himself.

5. Nationalization of the Church Property.

This was the event where the church property such as land was taken over by the state. By this time, even some of bishops started declaring the wealth of the church and suggested that they should be nationalized. It was significant in that.

a)      It made the church to hate the revolutionaries it spoiled the relationship between the church and the revolutionaries.

b)      Peasants who were previously landless got chance to own some land in France.

c)      Led to an uprising from the church but were shortly brought to an end by the revolutionaries.

6. The declaration of the civil constitution of the clergy.

This was the time when the constitution governing the clergymen was made in France. This even was also significant in that.

a)      All the clergy by this time were to be paid by the state.

b)      Their election to position was as well to be determined by the state official.

c)      The state was even granted powers to check the activities the clergymen in France.

d)      This even further, made the clergy to be the greatest enemies to the revolution.

7. The flight of the king to Verinne.

During this time, King LouisXVI lacked advisors especially after the death of Miabeau.he made an attempt to move to Austria to get advise from Leopold his friend, but he was arrested and brought back to Paris. This even was so great in that.

a)      The King was referred to as atrator in France.

b)      Some document was discovered with the king during his arrest that was against the revolution.

c)      By this even, the king was reduced to level of an ordinary Frenchmen, since he was also arrested by ordinary Frenchmen.

8. Formation of political Clubs in France.

This came as result of the declaration of rights of man. Many political clubs were formed in France. Among others, included, the Jacobin club under Robespierre, Cordliere, Girondin club under Murato and Danton respectively. This even was important in that.

a)      This political club started fighting for power by killing as many people as possible in order not to be killed.

b)      The clubs truly divided the Frenchmen on the club basis. This brought the state of lawlessness in France.

9. The reign of terror in France.

The reign of terror was the second most significant event in the course of the French revolution. It was characterized by massive killing of people and truly, there was no order in France by this time. What makes it more important is that.

a)      King Louis and his wire were guillotined during the reign of terror.

b)      Many Frenchmen especially the noble began taking refuge to the neighboring countries and they became known as Émigrés.

10. The Directory Goervenment 1795-1799.

This was the government that ruled France during the course of the French revolution. It was composed of 5 Directors who were to rule one year each. Among other directors included, Barass, Abey Sieyyes, Ducas, etc.

It should be noted that this government had a lot of weaknesses that gave Napoleon chance and opportutty to come power.