The Constitutional Monarchy: Reforming France 1789–92 Flashcards
1
Q
What were the local government reforms?
A
What?
- Decentralised- authority to local govts (Made it hard for Louis to regain power)
- Administrative chaos of the Ancien Regime (there used to be 360 feudal courts of law) replaced by a more coherent structure of districts, communes cantons etc (Labourers were in control of rural communes and overburdened by what the cahiers asked of them but it gave admin experience to them)
- ‘Active citizens’ who paid three days worth of taxes could choose electors (Revealed the assembly’s intent not to give those in popular protests a direct role in govt)
2
Q
What were the tax reforms?
A
- Gabelle and unpopular indirect taxes abolished +
- Sale of church lands and assignants + (1/3 peasants were first-time owners)
- Tax reforms: land tax with no exemptions, tax on moveable goods payable by active citizens (+ taxed according to means and burden on producers, - no valuation of land so some places paid more)
3
Q
What were economic reforms?
A
- Laissez-Faire economy (benefitted producers more than consumers)
- Le Chaplier laws (made employers sovereign and guaranteed low wages)
- Committee set up to help the poor (did not help as they had no money- millions begging)
- Guilds abolished
4
Q
Reforms of the Legal system
A
- Principles of uniformity (same systems of law in the north and south, removed letter de catchet)
- New system of law in which each canton had a justice of peace and the judges were experienced
- Penal code was made more humane and guillotine was only method of public execution
5
Q
Church Reforms
A
- Ended tithe
- Decree in Dec 1789 gave civil rights to protestants and Jews
- Civil Constitution of the Clergy- priests and bishops elected, oath of loyalty, nationalisation of church land
This ended the revolutionary consensus and led to two churches.
Created counter-revolution (nonjuring priests, refractory priests)
6
Q
The Constitution of 1791
A
- Power passed from NCA to LA
- suspensive veto and the king could appoint his ministers and military commanders
- Dependent on Assembly for foreign policy
- king had to agree that his office was subordinate to the assembly
7
Q
What was the purpose of Revolutionary clubs?
A
- Kept the public informed on the major issues of the day
- Supported election candidates
- Provided a stage for which speakers could debate issues: gave people a crash course in political education
- Acted as pressure groups to influence deputies in the Assembly
8
Q
What were the main features of the Jacobin club?
A
Key ideas:
- Initially, physiocrats who had no objections to the intro of free trade and abolition of guilds in 1791
- Moved to a more controlled economy because of war, counter-revolution and pressure by radical sans culotte supporters
- summer of 1792- moved further towards centralisation to support the republic
Supporters:
- Wealthy radical deputies
- High entrance fee
Members:
- Robespierre: member of NCA not LA
9
Q
What were the main features of the Cordeliers club?
A
Key ideas:
- Objected distinction between active and passive citizens
- Direct democracy
- Right of insurrection
Supporters:
- Bourgeoisie and working class radicals
- Members were often from liberal professionals like teachers as workers did not have time to join
Key members:
- Brissot- Brissotins opposed radical Jacobins
- Danton- leading power in overthrow of monarchy and president of CPS
10
Q
What were the main features of the Gerondin Club?
A
Key ideas:
- Supported the war with Austria as a way to pre-empt foreign aggression and export ideals of the revolution
- Inspired the measures taken against emigres and anti-revolutionary priests in Oct/Nov 1791
- Wanted France to be a republic not a monarchy
- Reluctant to see the king executed
Supporters:
- Brissotins
- Republican politicians who played a leading role in the LA
- Mainly bourgeoisie
Main members:
- Jacques-Pierre Brissot
11
Q
What were the main features of the Feuillant Club?
A
Key Ideas:
- Against war, conservative
- Feared radicalisation of the revolution as they thought it would lead to destruction of the monarchy and private property
- Against having passive citizens in the National Guard
- Wanted to preserve the position of the king
Supporters:
- Founded after Louis’ flight to Varennes when deputies left the Jacobin club in opposition to a petition called for replacement of the king
- Perceived to be royalists
Prominent members:
- Antoine Barnare- favoured restoration of the king
12
Q
Was the peasant pressure on the Jacobins in any way successful?
A
- Following the August decrees the peasants quickly became disillusioned when they realised that their feudal dues had to be bought out
- Rural revolution 1790-1792 in Brittany, central France and the South-East which placed pressure on the Jacobins. Peasants fixed the price of grain, called for the sale of church land in small lots and attacked châteax.
- Rising in Midi in 1792 + deteriorating military situation
- Feudalism finally abolished on 17 July 1793
13
Q
How did popular societies seek to take advantage of concerns among workers?
A
Problems sans-culottes faced:
- Suffered from inflation
- Government printed more assignats and their value declined
- Wave of strikes for wages in 1791
- Grain prices rose by 50% in 1791 which led to riots
Political groups used the discontent of workers to make them desire a republic and it made the revolution radical in ways that the bourgeoisie deputies of 1789 did not want.
14
Q
What was the triumvirate?
A
- Barnave, Du port and Lameth
- Aimed to heal divisions between the bourgeoisie and aristocracy
15
Q
Why did Louis attempt the flight to Varennes?
A
- Louis was a devoutly religious man and regretted his acceptance of the CCC
- Renogatiate with the NCA the parts of the Constitution he did not like
- Retain absolute power; did not want to be a constitutional monarch
- Influence from Marie Antoinette (Her brother King Leopold was the monarch in Austria and would provide Louis with a power base)
Fled on 20th June 1791 but was caught as the border in Varennes. His younger brother escaped.
20
Q
What effect did the lack of trust between politicians and the King have on the Legislative Assembly?
A
- 1st Oct 1791- first meeting of LA
- Suspicion and hatred among deputies had replaced the optimism of 1789 due to the actions of the king and fear of counter-revolution
- self-denying ordinance in LA
- wholly bourgeoisie
- New labels: left (Gerondins and Jacobins), right (Feuillants), center (unaffected- largest group)
