HUMA 1825 Lecture Notes - Maximilien Robespierre, Montesquieu
Document Summary
Statute: superior to common law, the statutory law binds us; if there"s a conflict it fixes it. The decision that one govt makes, is not binding on future governments. Mindful of the past, but free to make new decisions. If it"s a law it is good, if it"s not good it isn"t a law. You can"t work with the previous structure of laws you must have a new government and laws to change society. Louis 16th: tried to introduce series of reforms, to help the french monarchy to manage their finances. The old arrangement was clashing, the old arrangement was wealth of property, ownership of the land, peasants and taxes to the nobles in exchange for the protection, and everyone owed each other money according to their status. The third estate broke off and formed the national assembly. There was always a constant threat from the outside, fear that the nobles were hoarding the food.