French Revolution Flashcards
Define Crane Brinton and his “Fever of Revolutions” chart.
Examined Revolutions
Revolutions unfold according to predictable pattern “Fever Chart” of Revolution
Argued that breakdown of government control as impossible demands made of the government which, if granted, would mean its end
(PRINT OUT CHART FOR EXAM)
(1) Breakdown of government control with middle class discontent, inefficient central government, financial difficulties, class conflict
(2)Rule of Moderates: creation of a duel government composed of moderates and radicals that attempt to lead the people
(3) Control of Extremists; forceful minority overthrows the moderates
(4) Reign of Terror: inexperienced government runs into trouble and resorts to violence, government involved in civil or foreign war, sharp economic crisis, severe class struggle
(5) Convalescence: establishment of strong man rule, pressures relax, more attention to religion/ideology
(6) Restoration: is the nation strong or weaker after the revolution?
(7) Back down to Normal: worst of old system ended, shift in power and property structure, new ideas emerge
Define the difference between a monocausal and multicausal argument.
Monocausal: means that single event or chain of events leads to a particular outcome: direct cause and effect (very limited and cannot explain most revolutionary phenomenon)
Multicausal: “web” of events, ideas, people, join together to explain why an event happens; cause and effect isn’t linear
Define the difference between Liberal Revolutions and Conservative revolutions.
LIBERAL: Bring about change from current norms/values of institutions
Redistribution of resources
Improving quality of access/social safety net
Equality
CONS: Counter Revolutions
Restore institutions
Traditional norms, values, behaviors
Emphasis on order and stability
What distinguishes revolution from rebellion according to Theda Skocpol?
the radical restructuring of state and society distinguishes revolution from rebellion in that it creates permanent structural change
5 Crucial Causes of Revolution FEIPP
Frustration and alienation from regime; discussing the perception of a significant proportion of the population that is discontent (more often than not, there is only a narrow band of leaders that emerge, not the masses) (domestic)
Emergence of dissenting political movements and leaders, divisions between elites who have access to wealth and power (domestic)
Ideology that bridges or fuses popular and elite grievances (domestic)
Political crises that paralyzes the ability of the state to respond, too weak to respond (domestic)
Permissive international environment for revolution to occur (international)
Define a bottom revolution vs. top-down revolution.
Where the revolution is being organized from: bottom up (spontaneous or accidental model, masses, poor) or top-down (heroic vision model of revolution, elites, status and power, mobilize the masses)
Outline the significance of the French Revolution.
TRANSITION FROM ABSOLUTE MONARCHY TO REPUBLIC, CREATION OF A NEW SOCIAL ORDER,
Marx and Engel view of the revolution and arguments.
French Revolution was at its core, a class-based revolution
Benefits from displacing the aristocracy went to the emerging professional classes and further revolution would be required to extend the benefits of modern industrial technology to all
Marx and Engel’s argued for a progressive vision of revolution that benefited the “masses” and emerging middle classe
Tocqueville’s argument of French rev.
suggests a more cautious appraisal that the “state” benefits more ultimately, may be warranted (state gains in power over the long term of Revolution)
The old Regime and the Revolution: argued that when the French Revolution destroyed class privileges it also removed obstacles to the expansion of state power over the individual, creating what Tocqueville argued was a more powerful central authority
Define proximate cause.
an event which is closest to, or immediately responsible for causing, some observed result.
List the proximate causes of the revolution.
-Experiment in Republicanism produces a flood of new ideas for debate in intellectual circles
-American Revolution: both a direct and indirect cause of the French Revolution (literate revolution, generated slew of papers and documents)
–French began to borrow money to finance American Revolutionary War; French military and financial support for American Revolution compounds problems of prior debt and economic downturn
To pay for this debt, they borrowed more money (instead of raising taxes and making the people upset) and expanded their navy, subsidizing industry–giving the appearance that France is wealthy and flourishing (finance borrows 650,000,000 in 3 years)
How is the French signing the Eden Treaty a proximate cause of the revolution?
Free trade deal between England/France that establishes Most Favored Nation (low tariffs and high quotas for exported goods) status between the states (REMOVED ALL TAXES IMPOSED ON GOODS)
The deal becomes a victory for the British: the British are already seeing the beginning of the Industrial Revolution and their economy is rapidly expanding and becoming more efficient
Glassware, textiles, etc are put out of business in France: Britain has more advanced technology
Why did Louis XVI summon the Estates General when things turned for the worse in France?
The king has no plan; the assembly of notables is frustrating; king’s ministers can’t convince the people below them (NOBILITY) to revise the tax system
Louis XVI summons the Estates General: asked the French people what they thought was wrong (produced 60,000 items of grievances); HAS A LACK OF OTHER ALTERNATIVES
Define a seigniorial system.
The seigneurial system was an institutional form of land distribution established in New France in 1627; rents grew higher and good land was taken nobles
Why did the king’s firing of Jacque Necker create outrage among the Third Estate?
He was the finance minister who wanted to help the third estate and the king refused to hear him out
Define the Tennis Court Oath
members of the National Assembly fear that a royal coup has been launched against them, meet in a nearby tennis court, proclaim that they will band together to swear an oath to God and the Nation that they will not disband until there is a new constitution for France
Define the National Assembly.
National Assembly/ made up of 3rd estate, eventually joined by some members of 1st and second; king told them to join to give the people what they wanted so that he didn’t murdered; created by the Tennis Court Oath, pledges not to disband until France has a new constitution KING DISMISSED THEM
what is the merging advance?
sharing the power between the central gov and opponents because of the realization that the gov can’t flee or stand the opposition.
Significance of the Storming of Bastille
The Bastille: medieval fortress located in a working class neighborhood was a powerful symbol of royal authority; Bastille support police efforts to enforce press censorship
^^Also contained gunpowder/arms that was needed for weaponry
^^Importance of Storming the Bastille: it illustrated the growing power of the masses and the importance of the city of Paris
Bastille members are beheaded and dismembered
August Decrees
55 aristocrats announced their privileges as the peasants got more out of hand: August Decrees: uncertainty as to why this was done (whether they feared the peasants or sympathized with them
Principles in the Declaration of the Rights of Man
(French men had natural rights, rights afforded to individuals by God); Liberty, property, security, and resistance to oppression
Flight to Varennes:
Royal family captured trying to flee France for Austria; radicalizes the revolution; Louis left behind a handwritten declaration protesting the Revolution after giving the idea that he did support it
Why did the radicals want war?
Radicals: wanted war to further the revolution
Why did conservatives want war?
wanted war to back up the King and maintain an absolute monarchy
Why did Girondins want war?
create constitutional monarchy
Brunswick Manifesto
warns French government of dire consequences if any harm comes to royal family, written by people who fled the Revolution who are fighting for Prussia (challenges the legitimacy of revolution, puts revolution outcome on table for debate)
September Massacres:
imprisonment of clergy and nobles by enraged mobs; Parisians slaughter 1200
Committee of Public Safety
addresses a conservative counter-revolution in the Vendee in Western France and the spread of the European war; political body of the French Revolution that gained virtual dictatorial control over France during the Reign of Terror; Robespierre
Three Elements of The Terror
power centralized and concentrated in the Committee of the Public Safety, Robespierre becomes a dictator, setting aside the new Constitution of 1793 (terror of the fever chart) BECAUSE HE DIDNT WANT ANY LIMITATIONS ON HIS POWER, laws mobilized to punish traitors, continue building the republic, KILLED ANYONE WHO WAS AGAINST OR NEUTRAL REGARDING THE REVOLUTION
Who was Robespierre?
leader in French Revolution Robespierre realizes he needs the support of the sans culottes but doesn’t fully trust them (confirms Alexis De Tocqueville’s theories of the French Rev) Maximilien Robespierre began his political career in 1789, when he was elected to represent the Third Estate of Artois in the pre-Revolutionary Estates-General. As a representative of the Third Estate, Robespierre promoted the interests of the lower classes.
Why was the Committee of Public safety created?
POLITICAL DISPUTE BETWEEN THE MODERATE GIRONDINS AND RADICAL JACOBINS SETTLED VIA Committee of Public Safety: created to address a conservative counter-revolution in the Vendee in Western France and the spread of the European War
Thermidorian Reaction: (November)
period of conservative consolidation following the radical change; creation of a new government and Constitution, the third constitution since 1791; Thermidorian Reaction, in the French Revolution, the parliamentary revolt initiated on 9 Thermidor, year II (July 27, 1794), which resulted in the fall of Maximilien Robespierre and the collapse of revolutionary fervour and the Reign of Terror in France.
Multi-Person Executive:
Period of the Directors; put 5 people in power so that one person didn’t rule the whole nation; failed attempt at democracy; people didn’t want a dictator like Robespierre or an absolute monarchy like Louis
How did Napoleon take power of France?
After the 5 member directory failed, Napoleon was a part of a three person consulate; he had all the real power
