1795- the directory

Question 1

The constitution

Answer 1

• Produced by the Thermidorian’s 1795
• designed to prevent return to monarchy or a dictatorship
  France would be ruled by two governing bodies elected annually changind 1/3 of each of their members :
• Council of Ancients:
• 250 over 40yrs
• approved or rejected legislation
• Council of 500:
• over 30 yrs
• initiated legislation
• The council of ancients chose the committee of 5 (the directory) from a list drawn up from the 500s
• each directory member could hold office for 5 yrs

Question 2

Directory new system of voting

Answer 2

• men over 21 paying direct taxis could vote for an elite group called electors
• Electors (the rich who paid high taxes) voted for council members)

Question 3

Weakness’ of the constitution

Answer 3

• yearly elections caused instability
• no mechanism to solve disputes between council and directory leading to stalemate and inaction

Question 4

Economic problems of the directory

Answer 4

• The directory tried to solve inflation by issuing a new paper currency
• that failed and had to be withdrawn and replaced with metal coins
• There were not enough coins in circulation leading to hindrance of trade and commerce resulting in deflation
• this made the directory very unpopular

Question 5

Financial problems of the directory

Answer 5

• Had more success with this
• September 1797: 2/3 of national debt was written off through issue of special bonds with creditors (special bonds can be used to buy national property, property of the crown etc) BUT the bonds fell in value until they became worthless resulting in a loss for those who had donated to the state
• Called the bankruptcy of 2/3: the debt was gone but the directory had lost the support of it’s original government creditors
• Relied on profits of war. The directory functioned on greater reliance on the army and an aggressive war policy
• there were problems with hostility from emigres who had fled from France to stir up opposition from foreign powers in the second coalition against France.

Question 6

Financial solutions in the directory

Answer 6

• Finance minister Vincent Ramel
• Introduced four new direct taxes (tax on windows and doors hit the rich the hardest)
• Reintroduced indirect tax, the octrois, a tax on goods entering towns
• made tax collection more efficient
• policies balanced government finance but alienated adversely effected sections of society

Question 7

The decline of the directory

Answer 7

**September 1798: Jourdan’s law: **
- reintroduction of conscription
- provoked widespread opposition
1799 second coalition
- encouraged by Britain
- Included Britain, Austria, Russia, Ottoman empire, Naples and portugal.
- meant the directory couldn’t continue to be funded by plunder
June 1799: Coup of Prairial
- the war was going badley, the directors were being blamed, neo-jacobins influence in the council increased
- They forced the removal of two directors and passing of two laws including forcing loans on the rich

Question 8

Coup of Brumaire

Answer 8

• late 1799: Abbe Seiyes (leading revolutionary figure and director) plotted a coup to restore the power of executives and reduce radical influence.
• He needed support of the army so chose Napoleon
• 10th November 1799: Moved the council out of Paris to saint cloud under pretext of a neo Jacobin plot
• Napoleon was encouraged to address the crowd but was attacked by the council of 500s. The soldiers rescued him
• the plotters issued a decree abolishing the directory and replacing them with a government headed by 3 leaders called the consul’s
• Napoleon dominated and the other two became more advisors
• the coup had not been well managed but divisions in the directory, military support and Napoleon already being a prestigious figure lead to its success.