Why was violence necessary for french revolution to be. Degrees of violence in the french revolution inquiries. Non violent protests ghandi evoked violence by the established power giving the victims the high moral ground and proving the violence was the establishments suppression of the victims. When this hatred got unleashed, it created an uncontrolled demonic fire of violence. Brown of the state university of new york, binghampton, discussed insurrections and. Mar 01, 2017 in this installment of my french revolution series, i examine the changes that took place between 1791 and 1793 that transformed the french revolution from a liberal revolution seeking a. In contrast, the rise of totalitarian states following world war i marked a time in which people were less concerned with the freedom of speech and more concerned with economic stability. Students should make note of the violence that occurred. A thorough understanding of this issue, apart from its theoretical aspect, also has important practical and political implications, and hence it must attract attention, especially now, in view of the present discussions and divergences of opinion in the international labor movement con. Sophia rosenfeld, university of virginia, author of common sense. By 1793, the liberal french revolution of 1789 had become a distant memory, as jacobins became the dominant politic. But what was the french revolution, how did it reshape europe and the world, and what relevance does it have to the workers movement today. Change on any scale with regard to government can be difficult its much easier to promise than to enact. Was violence necessary during the french revolution, and.
Talking and compromising is a far better solution to cause change. Not only was it a massacre with many lives being lost, including that of queen marie antoinette and her husband king louis xvi, it was also a time of great political turmoil which would turn man against man that being the case of edmond burke and thomas. Historians of the french revolution have identified many cultural and ideological sources of its violence. The representatives of the third estate revolted, created a national assembly and asked for. Librivox recording of the french revolution, by hilaire belloc.
The people of the french revolution and nationalist uprisings in 1848 were interested in expanding the freedom of speech. The main aim of this course is to provide you with basic historical background on the french revolution, which marked a watershed in the history and culture of the period 17801830. Nov 25, 2017 by 1793, the liberal french revolution of 1789 had become a distant memory, as jacobins became the dominant politic. There can be few historical subjects so mythologized as the violence of crowds in the french revolution. When historians and others engage in discussion of the french revolution, they often begin with discussions about why the french people became unhappy and turned towards popular violence as an effective means of dismantling the ancient regime.
The extremities of the french revolution throughout history, many civilizations started out with some form of a monarchy, that type of government in which one person rules a country the most common monarchy was a royal family. How did the french revolutionaries explain, justify, andunderstand the. All these wars, and all there has been no resolutions for it all. France and in quelling domestic religious and political violence literature term papers paper 7 on violence cycles in tale of two cities. Non violence and the french revolution historians of the french revolution have traditionally emphasized the centrality of violence to revolutionary protest. Why was the violence in the french revolution necessary. The french revolution marks a stain in history, notorious for one of the bloodiest periods in modern civilization. In the shortterm, france lost thousands of its countrymen in the form of emigres, or emigrants who wished to escape political tensions and save their lives. The second was an expansion of political violence to the point that it no longer targeted selected state officials but became more indiscriminate, mostly as a result of the use of explosives, which. Charlotte corday tried to stem french revolution violence by murdering marat, and marie antoinette was guillotined. Much of south germany felt a similar but more muted influence of the french revolution, while in. Miller shows how the revolutionaries portrayed the revolution as a necessary, irreversible. The violence itself became propaganda to inspire masses to rise up and make the revolution.
The french revolution was a revolt of the poorest french citizen, called the third estate, against the monarchy. Feb 23, 2017 given the formidability of the forces that france had to fightin order to defend the revolution, the levee en masse is justifiable since it was the only way to raise a citizen army to diligently defend their territorial integrity, thus it can be labeled a necessary evil. Violence and nature in the french revolutionary imagination, 17891794. In 1793, as war broke out in europe, the republican party led by thomas jefferson favoured france and pointed to the 1778 treaty that was still in effect. French revolution violence french revolution violence continued to grow. The stated reason was that they were protecting the revolution. The fall of the bastille, a medieval fortress used as a state prison, on july 14, 1789, symbolizes for france, as well as for other nations, the end of the premodern era characterized by an organicist and religiously sanctioned traditionalism. Now the french revolution could be reinterpreted as the founding event of leftwing totalitarianism. They were determined to avoid street violence such as the september massacres of 1792 by taking violence. Some of the violence was definitely important in fueling the key events of the french revolution. Moreover, it is far more likely than not that violence will occur given the longstanding historical record of the classes in power to recur to violence to fight off any real threat to their power, which makes violence a necessary response to those involved in the struggle to improve their lives and to liberate themselves from oppression. Terror in the french revolution and today international.
Analysis the french revolution was such an important time history. I dont have a good explanation for the intensity of the bloodshed. I would say yes, violence was necessary as a revolution is always violent. Read by ray clare it is, for that matter, selfevident that if one community decides in one fashion, another, also sovereign, in the opposite fashion, both cannot be right. Charles dickens, one of the most esteemed british writers of the nineteenth century the french revolution why was the revolution necessary. What is even more challenging to those who try to belittle him is that robespierre is seen almost universally as the incarnation of the french revolution itself. Violence in the industrial revolution by zac fritzson on prezi. The french and haitian revolutions implications and conclusion counterclaim the haitian revolution led to haiti having the first free black nation founded by slaves. Historians widely regard the revolution as one of the most important events in human history. King louis xvi needed more money, but had failed to raise more taxes when he. In 1787, on the eve of the french revolution, the french monarchy a. The french revolution class 9 important questions short answer type questions. Some historians argue that such terror was a necessary reaction to the circumstances. Environmental education resources to commemorate earth days 50th anniversary.
Was the violence of the french revolution justified free. The fifth phase of the french revolution may be said to date from these first days of september 1792, when the news of the successful invasion was maddening paris, and when the revolutionary executive, established upon the ruins of the old dead monarchy and in its image, was firmly in the saddle, up to the establishment of the yet more. Julius ruff summarizes a huge body of research and provides readers with a clear, accessible, and engaging introduction to the topic of violence in early modern europe. It operated following the national convention and preceding the consulate. However, not all of the violence that took place during the revolution was justified. Mar 01, 2012 i think the removal of the french royal family was necessary for the success of the revolution, however unpleasant it may have been. Tmp degrees of violence in the french revolution topic. Jan 04, 2010 historically, a few revolutions are bloodless that happened at the end of the 20th as was in the case of a rise of democracies in the eastern europe, sar, south korea, chile, the french revolution was bloody for many reasons and it cause lies in unventilated hatred of the system accumulated for generations and unsolved problems of the french society for centuries. The french revolution was bloody for many reasons and it cause lies in unventilated hatred of the system accumulated for generations and unsolved problems of the french society for centuries. The reign of terror, or more commonly the terror french. Request pdf popular violence in the french revolution. Does it simply mean violence is the engine of french revol.
Women at versailles and storming the bastille were justifiable because it was necessary to do so, but the prison massacre of. Was the violence of the french revolution justified essay. Political demonstrations in paris, 17871795 alpaugh, micah on. Based on history of past 200 years gandhi jis non cooperation movement during indias independence struggle can be put forward as an anti thesis to the question but we must realize that apart from his non violent means effor. Robespierre justified this violence as necessary and. Maximilien robespierre quotes author of virtue and terror. Under the stormy circumstances france was now enduring, he maintained that extraordinary measures needed to be taken. The deputies were concerned to protect property and maintain order as the 1790 decree on the abolition of nobility suggests in the face of a growing breakdown of public order. It actually lasted for another six years, with far more violent and momentous. Was violence necessary during the french revolution, and why. It is against this backdrop that french historian sophie wahnichs in defence of the terror.
As heads of state gathered in parisin the summer of 1989 for the celebration. Explain the statement in the light of french revolution. French revolution, revolutionary movement that shook france between 1787 and 1799 and reached its first climax there in 1789hence the conventional term revolution of 1789, denoting the end of the ancien regime in france and serving also to distinguish that event from the later french revolutions of 1830 and 1848. As recently as 2005, leading historians jack censer and lynn hunt were content to state bluntly that popular violence defined the french revolution, and went on to note that such violence pushed the revolution forward, but also threatened to dissolve it altogether in. Remote work advice from the largest allremote company. Was the terror necessary to defend the french revolution. With their frenchcentered, not to say parisangled perspective, they have all but shut out foreign policy, the international system, and war in order to closely focus, first on the economic and social causes and dynamics of the french revolution, and then on the sway of mentality, discourse, ideology, culture, and everyday life. The capacity to exercise sufficient violence such that an entity, whether an animal, human, or organisation, can defend itself, is a necessary requirement for both life and liberty because, contrary to scolding parents, it doesnt take two to fight. The extremities of the french revolution throughout history, many civilizations started out with some form of a monarchy, that type of government in which one person rules a country. The prevalence of popular revolution suggests that large numbers of individuals prefer violence to tyranny. What does this word mean in terms of amount and time and occurence and how would i feel it at the moment with my eyes of the 21th century. What is at stake here is a choice between two contrasting views of the french revolution. The directory was the government of france during the penultimate stage of the french revolution. Chris dente modern europe 1684present professor whelan if they are hungry then let them eat cake.
French revolution1 violence in the french revolution. History essays french revolution violence uk essays. Learn exactly what happened in this chapter, scene, or section of the french revolution 17891799 and what it means. The french revolution was a watershed event in modern european history that began in 1789 and ended in the late 1790s with the ascent of napoleon bonaparte. People of third estate demanded a society based on freedom and opportunities to all. The level of violence in the american revolutionary and civil wars are pretty intense, but pale next to the stunning number of executions in the french revolution and the spanish civil war. This book offers a broadranging survey of violence in western europe from the reformation to the french revolution.
Mar, 2010 i would say yes, violence was necessary as a revolution is always violent. Fear, violence, and the reign of terror dissent magazine. The french revolution and the revolution 36 words 6 pages. America also had a revolution which shaped the creation of its government. Violence rarely, if ever, solves a problem, and actually tends to result in more problems and issues. However, micah alpaugh reveals instead the surprising prevalence of nonviolent tactics to show that much of the popular action taken in revolutionary paris was not in fact violent.
Ideas of liberty and democratic rights were the most important legacy of the french revolution. Liberty or death in the french revolution enters into the politicized debate over the revolutions legacy. The humanities scholars essay was written in 1989 by james friguglietti, professor of history, eastern montana college, billings. The representatives of the third estate revolted, created a national assembly and asked for the creation of a republic. Rousseau actually believed that there were few substantive limits on what the state could. The five directors exercised power, only one of whom, lazare carnot, has a reputation for leadership or political sagacity. Throw in the gore in haiti, intense even before the slaves rise up. The statement that revolutions are violent would seem self evident, but this is a great analysis of that fact. But it so often happens that those who rise up to replace a tyrannical regime end up becoming as bad, or even worse, than the regime they replace. No, i disagree that violence is required to cause change, because violence often results in more trouble and does not solve anything. An americanstyle revolution, calm and democratic, would have led to the same end result, while. Why was violence necessary for french revolution to be successful. But virtue is based on values, and we are compelled then to discuss what we mean by value and which values we are referring to.
Charlotte corday tried to stem french revolution violence by. Revolution lives even now in the global political consciousness as something like a wondercure a salutary dose of necessary violence to create a new situation of political health whatever definitions of liberty and democracy suit your particular preferences for that health. From a government point of view, the violence is not necessary. The countryside and the french revolution john markoff as heads of state gathered in paris in the summer of 1989 for the celebration of the french revolution s bicentennial, prime minister margaret thatcher faced a question in parliament about her own imminent crossing of the english channel. The french revolution traces the long and short term causes of the french revolution to the october days and its consequences up to the dissolution of the convention and beyond. One sour point was the hostility of the french officials toward the roman catholic church, the choice of most of the residents. The year 1789 is the great dividing line in the history of modern france. Violence in the french revolution violence is an inevitable part of every war.
Why violence works the chronicle of higher education. Was the violence of the french revolution justified free essays. Intellectual historians tend to regard the french revolution as a point of. Was the violence of the french revolution justified. Heres a short primer, lovingly compiled by jacobin to mark the occasion. The french revolution class 9 important questions history. But for further exploration of the procedural basis for revolution we can look to the ideas of another political philosopher, jeanjacques rousseau 17121778, whose the social contract, published in 1762, inspired the french revolution two decades later.
If you need assistance with writing your essay, our professional essay writing. Degrees of violence in the french revolution inquiries journal. French revolution violence when historians and others engage in discussion of. A political history mary ashburn millers fabulously creative and historically revealing book shows how beliefs about nature informed the french revolution and sometimes excused its violence. Radicalization of the french revolution french revolution. The french revolution didnt just take place in 1789. Whether this infamous violence existed at the birth of the revolution or only during the terror has been the topic of. Find, read and cite all the research you need on researchgate. Insurrections and repression october 27, 2001 by sara vins. The french revolution deeply polarised american politics, and this polarisation led to the creation of the first party system.
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