World History (French revolution) by Shivlal Gupta

Model Answer

Question #1. The French Revolution was a watershed event in modern European history. Discuss its causes and significance in the history of the world with the special emphasis on Europe.

Approach:

• Briefly introduce the French Revolution,1789.(40 words)
• Discuss the causes of the French Revolution,1789.(70 words)
• Discuss significance of the French Revolution, 1789 in the history of the world with the special emphasis on the Europe.(100 words)
• Conclusion ( 40 words)

Hints:

French Revolution, also called Revolution of 1789, revolutionary movement that shook France between 1787 and 1799 and reached its first climax there in 1789—hence the conventional term “Revolution of 1789,” denoting the end of the ancienrégime in France and serving also to distinguish that event from the later French revolutions of 1830 and 1848.

The causes of the French Revolution:

• The bourgeoisie resented its exclusion from political power and positions of honour;
• The peasants were acutely aware of their situation and were less and less willing to support the anachronistic and burdensome feudal system;
• The philosophes had been read more widely in France than anywhere else;
• French participation in the American Revolution had driven the government to the brink of bankruptcy;
• France was the most populous country in Europe, and crop failures in much of the country in 1788, coming on top of a long period of economic difficulties, compounded existing restlessness; and
• The French monarchy, no longer seen as divinely ordained, was unable to adapt to the political and societal pressures that were being exerted on it.

Significance of the French Revolution

• Social
  • The revolution was followed by Declaration of Rights of Man; though they were not very democratic in nature, they fuelled the middle class aspirations everywhere in Europe. The declaration contained rights which were typically the demands of the middle class like equality before law, freedom from arbitrary arrest or punishment, meritocracy, right to property, freedom of speech and press and equal distribution of tax burdens. This lead to similar demands by people in other countries and started an era of political reforms which started after Napoleonic wars.
  • The church which earlier enjoyed powers equivalent to monarchy was reduced to a bureau under the government.
• The Revolution and concept of Citizenship
  • The reforms changed the relation between state and citizen and the people started taking great pride in their country, language, heritage, and history and thus the rise of Nationalism can be attributed to French revolution.
  • The notion that in times of emergency ordinary public could be called upon to render service and sacrifice property emerged and gained ground. Thus it eventually turned wars from being battles between armies to being conflicts between whole nations.
  • It led to the notion of the duties of the state towards its citizens because if the citizens could be called upon to sacrifice, the state should take care of their welfare. Overall it made the relationship between citizens and state more intricate and intimate.
• Political
  • The Declaration was a challenge to entire Europe as the Rights of Man were universally applicable to all men living anywhere in the world who wanted to be free. This universalism posed a direct challenge the existing order in rest of Europe.
  • The doctrine of sovereignty of the nation which means people and the doctrine that 'law is the expression of general will' conflicted with the existing autocratic, absolute monarchist systems in Europe where law was the whims and wishes of the ruler. It particularly installed the fear among nobles and royalty elsewhere as French revolution was a mob-led reign of terror, which executed the king and queen.
  • The revolution established negative tradition against monarchy as per other European countries and they started preparations for war to defeat the new republic and re-establish the monarchical system in France under a puppet ruler.
  • The French Assembly declared that any territories occupied by France would be freed from feudal obligations and the church and aristocratic property would be confiscated. Most of the Europe was deeply catholic in those days and this act was disliked. Thus Europe witnessed a war, which continued until the demise of Napoleon. The wars also lead to the rise of nationalism and modern nation states in Europe.

Conclusion:

The French Revolution completely changed the social and political structure of France. It put an end to the French monarchy, feudalism, and took political power from the Catholic Church. It brought new ideas to Europe including liberty and freedom for the commoner as well as the abolishment of slavery and the rights of women. Although the revolution ended with the rise of Napoleon, the ideas and reforms did not die. These new ideas continued to influence Europe and helped to shape many of Europe's modern-day governments.

Question #2. The American revolution inspired the French revolution and yet it was markedly different from it. Elaborate.

Hints:

How American revolution inspired French revolution:

• The American Revolution principally introduced new political possibilities driven by the Enlightenment idea of republicanism, resurgent from Roman times to those living in France.
• French soldiers and sailors who came to the aid of American patriots in fighting their common enemy, the British, returned to France with some new concepts to work out, most notably “republicanism.”
• With its philosophical ideas of the natural rights of individuals and the division of powers, the American Revolution inspired the French Revolution.
• The experience of the American Revolution provided the French with an example and a new interpretation of the ideas of liberty, equality, and private property which they believed might be applied to the differing circumstances existing in France.

Differences:

• The American Revolution was merely political not social like French revolution.
• Despite propagating republicanism, American revolution did not fully implement the new republicanism ideas of Paine, Adams, Jefferson, Franklin, etc. French Revolutionaries actually tried to work them out in practice.

–       They introduced constitutional measures very early in the revolution pressed for a reformed monarchy, and passed The Declaration of the Rights of Man and Citizen, and initially emancipated the slaves in their colonies (a short-lived measure).

• The American Revolution was caused by a majority of the America population becoming unhappy because of how the British were ruling them. They believed they deserved more freedom from the British. The French Revolution was started by French’s lower class because they were unhappy with how they were being treated.
• Although both of the wars were caused by similar reasons, they were started by completely different kinds of people. American revolution was started by all different classes of people, but led by the upper class, and the French revolution started by the lower class of a country.
• The American Revolution pretty much stayed between the Americans and the British except when the French joined. The French Revolution started between the French lower class and the French government. It then evolved into the French fighting against other monarchies in Europe such as Austria and Prussia.
• The French Revolution was more violent and bloody. The revolutionaries in the French Revolution would kill anyone who they heard were supporters of the king. The revolutionaries in the American Revolution never really killed supporters of the British and weren’t very violent to British people unless they were in battle.

Supplementary Notes

• Similarities:

–       American and French revolutions both took place around the same time. Both championed the desire for republican government and the principles of liberty. And many

–       Americans promoted the French Revolution, and the Americans were indebted to the French who advanced their revolution, providing both money and material to the cause.