Downfall of Robespierre

Question 1

When was he executed?

Answer 1

28th July 1794

Question 2

Reasons for R’s downfall?

Answer 2

R himself
l-t tension between CGS and CPS
R’s loss of popular support
Loss of s-c leaders

Question 3

Name for R’s downfall?

Answer 3

Thermidorian Reaction

Question 4

How were R’s actions to blame?

Answer 4

Exacerbated tension between CGS and CPS (alienating members of the Convention)
Dictator-like perception
His advocation of the extension of terror

Question 5

R’s loss of popular support?

Answer 5

Anger and apathy from the masses allowed the coup

Question 6

Loss of popular leaders?

Answer 6

Eradication of leaders became a norm - demobilised the sc from defending Robespierre practically (no one could orchestrate an effective defence) and psychologically (it was not as shocking as it had happened before)

Question 7

Egs of Robespierre’s actions in 1794 which caused coup

Answer 7

Alienated key figures who later conspire against him:
-Instituting the cult of supreme being (7 May Decree; Festival of the SB on 8 June); R carried blood red roses through the ceremony demonstrating an ideological purpose.
Thuriot- ‘it is not enough for him to be in charge, he has to be God’ (hostility his dictatorial behaviour caused)
absence from convention and CPS in June; isolated himself politically- lost influence
July 26th rambling speech to Convention denouncing CGS (vocalised the tensions) and calls for a further round of executions concerned members of the convention

Question 8

Who were particularly worried by R’s July 26th ambiguous speech?

Answer 8

Collot D’Herbois
Billaud Varenne
Fouche
Taillone
(3 of them had been representatives on mission, responsible for Terror atrocities)
CONSEQUENTLY R’S S-T ACTIONS ISOLATED HIM POLITICALLY, AND INSPIRED OPPOSITION AGAINST HIM AND HS GROWING DICTATORIAL TENDENCIES, NECESSITATING ACTION- IN THE FORM OF A COUP- AGAINST HIM

Question 9

Existing tension between the CGS and Convention and the CPS?

Was it R’s fault?

Answer 9

Not entirely his fault, but his actions exacerbated
CPG had encroached on CGS duties
The Law of 22 Prairl introduced without CGS consultation

Question 10

Which individual was esp annoyed about the Law of 22 Prairil?

Answer 10

Billaud Varenne- believed the CPS, and R who had spearheaded the initiative were usurping his control

Question 11

Why was the Convention annoyed about the Law of 22 Praril?

Answer 11

They believed the work of the Terror was done, and so didn’t understand why it was being extended

Question 12

How was extension of the Terror intially justified ? Link to Law of 22 Prairil?

Answer 12

Threat of War -

foreign war was going well for France by Spring 1794- thus the objects of the terror seemed to be achieve.

Question 13

Example fo war going well for France by spring 1794?

Answer 13

Battle of Fleures won against the allies on 25 June; and French armies had pushed into Belgium

Question 14

What was going on with internal federalism?

Link to Thermidorian reaction?

Answer 14

Had been successfully put down in Marseilles and Lyon, and counter-revolution had been put down in Lyons
Great terror, therefore, disconcerted the convention who believed that there was no need for an intensification

Question 15

Conventions’ role in the Themidorian Reaction?

Answer 15

They happilly obliged the arrest of R, Caution and Saint Just following a denunciation by Billaud and Tallien

Question 16

Robespierre loss of popular support effects?

Answer 16

When he escaped arrest on 27 July, Commune refused to help him and only 1/3 sections gave signals of support

This demonstrates his loss of sc support, allowing the success of the coup against him

Question 17

Robespierre loss of popular support causes?

Answer 17

11 Sept 1793- price controls on bread
29 Sept 1793- General Max (limited wages of the sc and so R no longer seemed like he was acting in their interest)
THESE WAGE CONTROLS FROM THE GENERAL MAXIMUM WERE ONLY ENFORCED FROM 23 JULY, indicating that they were a direct trigger to the coup

Question 18

Loss of popular leaders contributing to the Thermidorian coup?

Answer 18

Dimished s-c ability to help R during the coup - individuals like Pierre varlet and Jacques Roux (leaders of the enrages) respectively had been arrested and committed suicide and therefore no longer guided sc movement
Herbet and Danton’s normalised the eradication (while they were products of R’s wishes, the most important thing is the practical repurcussions)

Question 19

Practical repurcussions of the loss of leaders?

Answer 19

Depriving masses of leaders, meant depriving them the means of organising themselves and so couldn’t engineer a way to effectively defend R when he needed it
Similarly, masses had grown apathetic and so had psychologically withdrawn from helping R during the coup

Question 20

Was effect of loss of leaders all R’s fault

Answer 20

the apathy of sc who felt no longer obliged to defend R = a byproduct of the political environment that the Terror had generated