HIS103Y1 Lecture 9: French Revolution
Role of public / Ideas in International relations
Internal makeups' effect on policy
War's own logic
Won by American and French forces against Britain
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1786: 3 years after American Independence has been won
Person in charge of French finances tells King Louis XVI that France is bankrupt
Has to do with internal politics within Holland
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France which was always a great power in Europe, simply cannot intervene
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Leads to profound crisis of legitimacy within France
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Brought on by economic crisis as well as ineffective fiscal state structure
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Could not sustain French foreign policy
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Political and cultural crisis in France --> state with no money cannot provide for
citizens
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King loses legitimacy
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France can't intervene in 1787
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Weakened internally
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Economic and political crisis manifest in France's foreign policy
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France can't borrow money from other states
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1787: small conflict, Prussia invades Holland
1789: French foreign minister warns that France can take NO diplomatic initiatives until
domestic crisis is resolved
Violence in France
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Political wrangling
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Trying to find an outlet for the people
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King is King, but his power has been reduced --> given to legislative assembly
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Destruction of French influence due to France's help to win war in America
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English writer: I defy smartest heads in England to have planned a situation so fatal
to its rival as that of which France is reduced --> no state could have done to France
what France did to itself
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Other states in Europe are not prepared intellectually for the effects of this
revolution on French Grand Strategy
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Had always been Britain
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For Revolutionary government, it wasn't Britain, it was Austria
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Revolutionaries wanted to ensure France was defended against any future
attack from Austria
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Pushing borders East and conflict with Austrian interests in the HRE
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Real worry is not only strategic but also ideological
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Believes citizens should play a role in decision making --> despot in Vienna
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French revolutionaries worry that their political changes will never be safe as
long as there are other despots in Europe who wish to roll back those gains
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'when there are no more tyrants, we shall have no more wars to fear'
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Belief emerging in revolution that states can only be safe in a world where
other states mirror their political system
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Not purely about armies, but also about ideas
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Most important change: reconsideration of France's external enemy
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July 1789 - Storming of the Bastille
People who supported the King fled France and took refuge in HRE where they plotted
French Revolution
November 16, 2016
2:12 PM
LECTURE Page 43
Document Summary
Role of public / ideas in international relations. 1786: 3 years after american independence has been won. Won by american and french forces against britain. Person in charge of french finances tells king louis xvi that france is bankrupt. Has to do with internal politics within holland. France which was always a great power in europe, simply cannot intervene. Leads to profound crisis of legitimacy within france. Brought on by economic crisis as well as ineffective fiscal state structure. Political and cultural crisis in france --> state with no money cannot provide for citizens. Economic and political crisis manifest in france"s foreign policy. 1789: french foreign minister warns that france can take no diplomatic initiatives until domestic crisis is resolved. Trying to find an outlet for the people. King is king, but his power has been reduced --> given to legislative assembly. Destruction of french influence due to france"s help to win war in america.
