Robespierre, Puppet of the Times
The time of the French Revolution was a turning point in the history of man. There had been plenty of revolutions before this one, and there have been plenty since. The coalition in time of many spectacular and world-changing developments met at the moment in history of the French Revolution. The Enlightenment brought ideas to the people which not only had never before been considered on a mass scale, but also make up the foundation of today's Constitution. The radical nature of the enlightenment combined with the raw power of the French Revolution changed many ways of the past into what they are now. Not only did it abolish the validity of many ideas of the old ages, such as aristocratic privileges, and monarchic rule, but this revolution was one of the first to try to create an ideological purity with the use of the Terror.
Considering all of the changes still active today that the French Revolution brought about, it is hard to even imagine that it might not have happened if it weren't for one man, Maximilien Robespierre. Through all of the setbacks that the French Revolution underwent, Robespierre was there at every step to guide the revolt through to its final stages. Only after the guillotine fell on his neck was the Revolution even considered to be over. Labeled “The Incorruptible” by his peers and contemporaries, Robespierre was the uncompromising leader of a Revolution that guided his every action, deluded his thoughts, and skewed his perception of right and wrong. Some say that Robespierre's actions that set the course of the Revolution, I say that the rebellion governed the man.
Robespierre is often portrayed by historians as having a very troubled childhood. Having lost his mother at ...
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...actment of the law of 22 Prairial. This act was the straw that broke the camel's back. The provisions of the law of 22 Prairial stated that a defendant did not have to be convicted by a jury for them to be put to death. It also stated that any member of society can be found guilty as an enemy to the revolution for anything and everything that may even hint at anti-revolutionary behavior. Robespierre's death followed a mere eighteen days after the enactment of this law. It was the last nail in the coffin that buried Maximilien Robespierre along with his expired and deluded policies.
Works Cited
Hampson, Norman. The Life and Opinions of Maximilien Robespierre. Blackwell Pub, 1988. Print.
McPhee, Peter. Robespierre: A Revolutionary Life. London: Yale University Press, 2012. Print.
Simpson, William. Europe 1783-1914. 2. New York: Routledge, 2009. 40-63. Print.
In this essay I shall try to find whether the Terror was inherent from the French revolutions outset or was it the product of exceptional circumstances. The French revolution is the dividing line between the Ancien Regime and the modern world. After France the hierarchy that societies of the time had been founded on began to change and they began to sweep away the intricate political structures of absolute monarchy, but however to achieve this was the Terror absolutely necessary? And was it planned/ or was it just the extraordinary circumstances, which the French had lead themselves into once they had deposed of Louis the sixteenth. Whatever way it is looked at, the political ideology of the rest of the world was going to change after the French revolution. The conflicting ideology's of the French revolution from socialism to nationalism would now be mainstream words and spearhead many political parties in years to come. The French revolution had been in high hopes that a peaceful transition could be made from absolutist to parliamentary monarchy, but what went wrong? Surely the terror could not have been in their minds at this time? Surely it was not inherent from the start.
While Robespierre and Napoleon violated the French Revolution’s ideal of liberty, both rulers preserved the ideal of equality. Neither Robespierre nor Napoleon led with freedom from absolutism, but both spread the nationalist zeal during or after the Reign of Terror. There are also other ideals of the revolution preserved and undermined by the two rulers, including will for a limited government, religious toleration, and protection of individual rights. Specifically, Robespierre preserved the ideal of equality during the Reign of Terror.
The early life of Maximilien François Marie Isidore Robespierre gives insight into the man at the center of the French revolution. Robespierre’s birth was just as controversial as his death due to the fact he was born out of wedlock on Born on 6 May 1758. The eldest of four children his mother died when he was six years of age and his father, an established lawyer, subsequently left. Robespierre continued to reside in Arras under the care of his maternal grandfather. He taught himself to read, and do to his astounding intellect was recommended by the local bishop for a full scholarship to Lycée Louis-le-Grande. His academic conduct was so exemplary that the seventeen year old Robespierre was chosen to give a welcoming speech to King Louis XVI. This is a curious fact as Robespierre would later in life speak in favor of executing the same King. His education was completed ...
When one looks at France after Napoleon’s reign, it is clear that he had brought much longed for order and stability. He had also established institutions that embodied the main principles of the revolution. However, it is also evident that many of his policies directly contradict those same principles. Was Napoleon betraying the same revolution that gave him power, or was he merely a pragmatist, who recognised that to consolidate the achievements of the revolution he needed to sacrifice some of those principles? Firstly, in order to determine whether Bonaparte betrayed the revolution, it is necessary to define what one means by “the revolution”.
First, the Jacobin leader Robespierre’s tried to protect the revolution but this plan backfired. It backfired because immediately after the publication of this decree, all suspected persons within the territory
Indeed, the musings of Robespierre, in his advocacy for terror as a means of achieving virtue, are reminiscent of Osama Bin Laden in his “Letter to America,” citing excerpts from the Quran which read, “Permission to fight (against disbelievers) is given to those who are fought against, because they have been wronged,” (Bin Laden 1). For Bin Laden, therefore, as he fights to initiate a new world order––one that is dictated by the teachings of Allah––those who oppose him or his ideology have thus wronged him; for Robespierre, those loyal to the previous regime have thus wronged him; in either case, however, the resultant of such wrongdoing proved to be death––whether that be in the form of a plane hijacking, or the
The French Revolution produced countless influential politicians throughout its tumultuous course. As a political figure in the French Revolution, Jean Paul Marat began as a nonentity and became a martyr to the revolutionary patriots of France. His influence is often misconstrued, and sometimes overlooked. Although he was not a political leader like Robespierre, his influence was substantial in that he motivated many people through his writings and powerful personality. Through his involvement with the Cordeliers’ Club and his journal Ami du peuple, started September 1789, Marat was able to express the indignation of the bourgeois class through his hopes for social revolution. His conspiracy theories and alleged prophetic outlook on the Revolution created an aura of mystery and intrigue around him, as well as detestation. Because he often stood alone behind his radical ideas, Marat became marked as the scapegoat for various controversial events of the period, and was several times forced into hiding to evade the law. Targeting Marat was an easy and effective way for the warring factions in the National Convention to assert their political dominance. It is curious how a virtual unknown and newcomer to government could become so crucial to the politics of the French Revolution, only to be murdered by another unknown in a seemingly isolated event. Marat’s assassination played a great part in what became the cycle of the Terror. Even though he was not a preeminent leader, both his life and death had an impact on the course of the Revolution. Because of his incendiary political beliefs and bold nature, the government targeted Marat, however, his assassination by the outsid...
Maximilien Robespierre became obsessed with this passion to create equality within France and to abolish the segregation that he began to be worshiped by others and seen as a beacon of hope. They both hoped that the Tribunal would bring peace to France. It would crush the Royalists and quiet mob by reassuring that the enemies of the revolution would be punished.” (DiConsiglio).
“Society was cut in two: those who had nothing united in common envy; those who had anything united in common terror.” The French Revolution was a painful era that molded the lives of every citizen living in France and changed their ways of life forever. Beginning in 1789 and lasting ten years until 1799, the people of France lived in a monarch society under King Louis XVI’s rule. He was a very harsh ruler and had many restrictions placed on his people. They eventually overthrow him and become a monarch society. Among his deceptive ways, the people also experienced “The Reign of Terror,” which was a period where many lives were taken by the guillotine. Other revolutionary events included rebellions, constitutions, and groups. One of the popular groups that contributed greatly to the French Revolution were the Jacobins who were led by Maximilien Robespierre.
Beginning in mid-1789, and lasting until late-1799, the French Revolution vastly changed the nation of France throughout its ten years. From the storming of the Bastille, the ousting of the royal family, the Reign of Terror, and all the way to the Napoleonic period, France changed vastly during this time. But, for the better part of the last 200 years, the effects that the French Revolution had on the nation, have been vigorously debated by historian and other experts. Aspects of debate have focused around how much change the revolution really caused, and the type of change, as well as whether the changes that it brought about should be looked at as positive or negative. Furthermore, many debate whether the Revolutions excesses and shortcomings can be justified by the gains that the revolution brought throughout the country. Over time, historians’ views on these questions have changed continually, leading many to question the different interpretations and theories behind the Revolutions effectiveness at shaping France and the rest of the world.
The French Revolution started in 1787 because the country was going through financial difficulties and there was unrest between the classes of citizens in the country. The differences between the lower class citizens and higher classes, being nobles and the monarchy were great. The citizens had heard of the revolution that went on in the colonies and they also wanted freedom and independence. The real start of the French Revolution was on July 14, 1789, with the storming of the Bastille. Between 1789 1793, a constitution was written, feudalism was abolished, war had broken out, and King Louis XVI was put to death. In late 1793 and early 1794, Maximilien Robespierre became the head of the Committee of Public Safety in France. This was the new governing body in France; it could be compared to the executive branch of a government. Robespierre was a great leader, he ins...
“Europe cannot conceive of life without Kings and nobles; and we cannot conceive of it with them. Europe is lavishing her blood to preserve her chains, whereas we are lavishing ours to destroy them”(Maximilien Robespierre). For centuries upon centuries, the monarchal system had dominated European life. The very nature of this method of rule incited rebellious feelings, as a definite imbalance of power was present. Understandably, people under this system had risen against authority. The glorious nation of France was no exception. The eighteenth century brought about a great deal of economic and social turmoil. By the end of this one hundred year period, rebellion had been talked about by many citizens for quite some time. However, no definitive action was taken until one man stepped to the forefront; Maximilien Robespierre. Born in Arras, France about thirty years prior to the French Revolution, Robespierre was an immensely intelligent man as is seen from his ability to read and write fluently from the age of eight (the Force of 10). Robespierre rose from fairly humble origins to become a provincial lawyer, advancing further to become a representative in the Estates General, and eventually ascending to the leader of the French Revolution itself. For its sake he sent thousands to the guillotine, overthrew a monarchy, declared a new national religion, and invigorated the will of a nation. “No individual of the French Revolutionary era, with the exception of Napolean Bonaparte, has excited more passion in his time than the…dedicated provincial lawyer, Maximilien Robespierre”(Maximilien 1). During this era, Robespierre led France’s world inspiring cry for the liberation of mankind and petrified the world with its relentle...
Even though, the French Revolution saw the Terror as a sign to create peace and restore a new France, it was not justified because the extremities of the internal and external threats spun out of control and the methods of the period were over the top. As the Reign of Terror in France grew and invoked fear, the internal threats became more radical and deadly. The French Revolution began in 1789 as an attempt to create a new and fair government. (Doc A) As year four of freedom lurched, the thirst for power in Maximilien Robespierre stirred and the hunger for more blood provoked him, urging him to create the Reign of Terror.
While many may be outraged by Robespierre’s actions, he believed they were justified because the killed enemies of the Revolution by terror with the Republic in mind. In his mind the mass executions were justified, since he had the right reason for doing so and was trying to protect the republic. In this second source, we can see that Robespierre and others, will use any means necessary to protect their beliefs and eliminate any threats to those beliefs. Robespierre put the fear into people that they would be killed if they opposed the Revolution in anyway. One last act of terrorism that I looked at occurred in New York City, on September 11, 2011.
The French Revolution was a period of upheaval in France, during which the French governmental structure and Catholic clergy underwent a large change due to Enlightenment ideas. The commoners of France began to revolt after hearing the ideas of famous philosophes like Voltaire. Voltaire was a deist who believed that the Catholic Church and its doctrines were not to be trusted since they used propoganda to get followers rather than the actual religion. He believed it was unfair that there wasn’t any religious freedom since you were expected to be a Catholic. He spoke openly about this, which of course got him into a lot of trouble. Nevertheless, the French commoners took his word into thought and decided to act upon what he said by revolting against the church. Voltaire’s ideas also critized royal absolutism because they had, in his opinion, too much power. He favored an elightened absolutist, which is an absolutist who adopts Enlightenment ideas. Once again, the French commoners took this to heart and agreed with Voltaire that the French government was too ...