HIST209 Lecture Notes - Lecture 2: Maximilien Robespierre, Tennis Court Oath, Bourgeoisie
HIST209 Lecture Notes Monday 5th March 2018
The French Revolution
- The beginning of the modern era
- Represents the beginnings of a new time in many ways.
Introduction
- What were some key ideas of the Enlightenment?
o Civil liberties; change from the Old Order; faith based on scientific evidence;
opposed to institutionalised religion; social order based on reason; natural
la; eualit; lifes eessities; popet ights; odeed a
- The ideals that sprouted out of the Enlightenment age influenced the French
Revolution.
o Influenced the French people to start to think about their roles and rights in
the French government
o Made them [especially the middle and lower class] increasingly aware of their
ability to raise a collective voice.
- The Enlightenment ideals lead towards many countries forming new constitutions
towards the end of the 18th century.
o E.g. Poland, North America - the American War of Independence, Iceland,
France, other European countries.
- Is the French Revolution still relevant today?
o Events that happen today are still being referenced to the French Revolution
o E.g. Arab Uprisings
o Scholars have written about the similarities between these two different
events.
- “oeeigt of the People
Legacies of the French Revolution
- The historical debate: success or failure?
o There were enormous changes, but they were not irreversible
o Restructuring of the social order – class division. Perhaps the most critical,
long lasting and significant change.
- Why is the French Revolution seen as a defining moment?
o Many of the political ideologies that emerged in the French Revolution were
seen to later emerge in Europe.
o The Revolution in France would influence other nations for decades to come
- Focus on political legacies in particular:
o Liberalism
▪ A philosophy founded on the ideals of liberty and equality
o Democracy
▪ A form of government where the citizens are allowed to vote on new
laws
▪ Equality. Government for the people, by the people.
o Nationalism
▪ Haig pide i oes atio.
▪ Deotio to the ause of oes nation.
▪ A feelig that oes atio holds supeioit to othe atios.
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Hobsbawm, The Age of Revolution
- Euopea o ideed old politis etee ad ee lagel the
struggle for and against the principles of 1789 or even more incendiary ones of 1793.
France provided the vocabulary and the issues of liberal and racial-democratic
politics for most of the world. France provided the first great example, the concept
ad the oaula of atioalis pp. -75)
Background to the French Revolution
- A number of crises in the decade before the Revolution:
o Moral crisis
o Crisis of morale
o Financial crisis
o Political crisis
- In the old order, these crises build up, like a volcanic pressure.
Moral crisis
- The Enlightenment seriously undermined the Church and Church teaching
o The Church and state and are intertwined.
- Effet o the Thoe ad Alta alliae
- When the Church legitimacy is in doubt, legitimacy of monarchy also suffers
Crisis of morale
- Military defeats in mid-18th century
- Loss of pestige ad atioal oale
- Weak leadeship of Kig Louis XVI, peeied idiffeee to plight of poo.
o Financial crisis in the state.
o After the reign of the previous King, France plummeted.
Financial Crisis
- Enormous and crippling wars
o Involvement perhaps not necessary
o American War of Independence
- Expensive campaigns funded through loans; difficulty of paying back loans and
interest
- Increase tax and end privileges is one way of paying back loans
- France is facing an economic crisis. Undermining the stability of the French state
- Food shortages, wage reduction
Political crisis
- Political crisis provoked by financial crisis
- King blocked from raising tax revenue by clergy and nobility
- Stalemate necessitated compromise
- 1789: Louis XVI convened Estates General
o Representatives of different classes of the state
o To potentially work out solutions
Estates General
- First estate = clergy (church)
o Catholic Church paid no taxes
o Upper clergy shared attitudes and way of life of nobility; lower clergy were
commoners
- Second estate = nobility
o Nobility held highest positions in Church, army and government
find more resources at oneclass.com
find more resources at oneclass.com
Document Summary
Represents the beginnings of a new time in many ways. The ideals that sprouted out of the enlightenment age influenced the french. Influenced the french people to start to think about their roles and rights in the french government: made them [especially the middle and lower class] increasingly aware of their ability to raise a collective voice. The enlightenment ideals lead towards many countries forming new constitutions towards the end of the 18th century: e. g. Poland, north america - the american war of independence, iceland, Is the french revolution still relevant today: events that happen today are still being referenced to the french revolution, e. g. Arab uprisings: scholars have written about the similarities between these two different events. (cid:862) o(cid:448)e(cid:396)eig(cid:374)t(cid:455) of the people. The historical debate: success or failure: there were enormous changes, but they were not irreversible, restructuring of the social order class division. Perhaps the most critical, long lasting and significant change.
