French Revolution
An Analysis of the Radical Phase of the French Revolution
The French Revolution was almost extinguished in 1792. The economic reforms prompted by the Cahier of the Third Estate of Dourdan (29 March 1789) had only appeared to benefit the middle and upper classes of the Third Estate. Meanwhile, fearing the spread of revolt throughout all Europe, Prussian and Austrian forces were marching towards Paris to cut it off at its source. However, the determination of Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette to put down the Revolution and flee the city combined with the approaching army of her brother, Leopold II, sparked a chain of events that pushed the Revolution into a radical phase. This paper will examine the causes of that radical phase, what it accomplished, and what role the Reign of Terror played in the Revolution.
Several personages had influenced Western philosophy prior to the outbreak of the Revolution. They ranged from Immanuel Kant to Jean-Jacques Rousseau, Voltaire, and the writings of the Marquis de Sade. From Kant and such claims as, "Enlightenment is man's leaving his self-caused immaturity," (410) the Revolution found its foothold. Yet, its radical elements (embodied by Robespierre and Danton) would find inspiration in Rousseau, who made claims such as, "Nature, not man, is [our] schoolmaster" (432). Nature, would be defined, however, by people like de Sade, who judged man's nature to be brutal, bloodthirsty, and animalistic (Jones 50).
When a French mob attacked the Royal Palace, and Louis "fled to the Legislative Assembly for asylum," the radical phase had begun. The lower classes were frustrated with the...
The dominant religion of France at the time (as now) was Roman Catholicism. Aston begins his book by discussing the special, privileged role of the First Estate, as well as different theological debates raging at the time, such as the Jansenism controversy. He also gives attention to other faiths, including Protestantism and Judaism, which were present in France at the time. Protestants and Jews were some of the Revolution's
French Revolution Revisited No moment in history stands alone, but each builds surely from the moments before it. The French Revolution and its aftermath was no exception. In many ways it sprang from the undeniable and unswayable forces of modernization, toppling a system which was dying under its own weight and intrinsically unable to adapt and survive in the new economic and philosophical reality. One could argue that this violent
Essay Topic Examples 1. The Role of Enlightenment Ideas in Fueling the French Revolution: Explore how Enlightenment philosophers such as Voltaire, Rousseau, and Montesquieu influenced the ideological foundation of the French Revolution. Discuss the ways in which their ideas about individual rights, democracy, and the social contract helped to underpin the revolutionary movement and contribute to the eventual overthrow of the old regime. 2. The Economic Crisis and its Contribution to
Essay Topic Examples 1. Impact of Enlightenment Philosophers on the Ideals of the French Revolution: This essay could explore how Enlightenment thinkers such as Voltaire, Rousseau, and Montesquieu inspired the principles and reforms of the French Revolution. Discuss the philosophy of the social contract, the critique of absolute monarchy, and the advocacy for individual rights and how these ideas manifested in the revolutionary agenda. 2. The Philosophical Underpinnings of the Declaration of the
The Revolutions of both France and Russia had many waves and stages. In France, the election and then disappointment of the third estate led to actual bloody revolution and then a series of regimes including the infamous Napoleonic leadership. Russia endured several waves of revolution, too, beginning notably with the failed revolution of 1905. In his famous work The History of the Russian Revolution, Leon Trotsky discussed the nature of
French Enlightenment The Failure of Enlightened Absolutism in France: An Analysis of the Economic and Political Situation of the Country during the Enlightenment Period The dawn of the 18th century saw the emergence of a period that eventually determined the future of modern society -- that is, the Age of Enlightenment. Under the Age of Enlightenment, the prevalent ideology is that it is possible for people to formulate and enforce reform and
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