Chapter 14 - The Establishment Of The Directory Flashcards
How was the new constitution of 1795 formed?
Drawn up by Thermidorians
Made valid by plebiscite
What was the order of the new structure?
- Directory of Five
- Council of 500 + Council of Ancients
- Elections
- Electors
- Voters
Who were the voters?
Male taxpayers over 21
5.5/8 million males could vote
Who were the electors?
Those paying a certain sum in taxes could sit in the assemblies
What were the elections?
Took place annually
1/3 deputies stood down every year
What was the Council of Five Hundred?
Deputies over the age of 30
Wrote new laws but didn’t vote on it
What was the Council of Ancients?
250 married or widowed men over 40
Approved or rejected laws
What was the Directory of Five?
5 directors chosen by Ancients
They formed the executive and appointed ministers
1 member would retire each year
What percentage were deputies from the old convention?
2/3rds
How many men served as directors?
13
Who were the most memorable?
Carnot, Sieyès, Ducos, Barras
What was the problem with the aim of limiting power?
No prominent leader or directior
Directors had differing views and found it hard to work together
What was the schism between?
Moderate conservatives
(Carnot + Letourneur)
Republicans
(Barras + Rewbell)
What was another problem with the directors?
No mechanism to resolve disputes
Led to underhand practices
Why was there acute inflation?
There was a switch from a system of economic control to a more liberal environment
How much were the assignats in 1795 worth?
Worthless
What economic problems did the directory come into?
Badly unbalanced budget
Costs of war
Problems with tax collection
What stopped food supply?
Grain speculators
Poor harvest 1795
Why was the trading situation bad?
British naval efforts restricted French colonial trade + blockaded French ports
What effort was made to stabilise currency?
Switch from paper to metal currency