French Revolution

Introduction

The French revolution was a critical point in the history of Europe and the world. As the term suggests, it ended up the monarchy in France. The ideas of liberty,  freedom and equality were the most important legacy of the French Revolution.

What was a pre-revolutionary society?

In 1770, 20 years old Louis XVI of the Bourbon family because of the king of France.  When he became the king to the treasury was empty due to long years of war and maintenance of an extravagant court at the place. Not only this but due to the help provided by his regime for the independence of the thirteen American colonies from Britain also lead the state in great trouble. These wars lead to a debt of 2 billion lives and then the lenders began to charge an interest of 10 per cent on loans. Thus, from the economic view, the regime was not in a good state. If we take a look at the social lives of the citizens we gauge to the fact that they were living a miserable life, because one sect of the society was facing oppression and the other was just having a prosperous life. 

The society was divided into three estates:-

• First estate (the Clergy); who were involved in special functions of the church,

• Second estate (the novelty); who were the rich and aristocrat people of the state,

• Third state; who consisted of the rest of the population such as lawyers, peasants,  artisans, merchants, landless labour etc.

Moreover, the women of the third estate were not given the allowed to study at the convent and their wages were lower than the men.

 What factors influenced the revolution?

The people belonging to the third estate were entitled to pay taxes called Table as well as some other indirect taxes laid on salt, tobacco etc. Whereas the first and the second estate was exempted from paying the taxes, instead they had the privilege to collect tax from the peasants. The increase in population between 1715 - 1789 led to a rapid increase in demand for food grains but due to insufficient production the price of bread hot higher. But the wages of workers did not keep pace with the rise in prices and thus situation became worse due to bad weather which reduced the harvest.  This condition created a subsistence crisis.

Many philosophers like Jean Jacques and Montesquieu considered middle class was solely responsible for revolution as they spread the ideas of freedom and equal laws and opportunities for all. Haitian revolution is inspired by French and American revolutions. It’s started from the beginning of the enlightenment period. As the French Revolution has inspired a lot of people to revolt and gain freedom. Thus the French revolution is a great influencer for the Haitian revolution. The declared the declaration of rights of man that totally proclaims that all men are free. 

In Haitian 20 slaves revolt the Caribbean at that time. The abusive behaviour against slaves that lead them to bind together and fight against the landowners. As white owners wanted to rule them. That ultimately leads to the death of hundreds of people of white and race people. The American revolution is influenced by philosophers like John Locke for basic rights and democracy. In the American Revolution, they wanted freedom in religion, social and economic.

How did the revolution take place?

On 5th May 1789, Louis XVI called the assembly of the Estates-General to pass the proposals for new taxes. First,  second and third estates sent ghost representatives but the ones belonging to the third estate had to face discrimination and we're asked to stand at the back. The third estate demanded that voting should be conducted by taking assembly as a whole, but the king rejected this proposal and members of the third estate walked out of the assemble in protest. 

On 20th June 1789 the representatives of the third estate led by Mirabeau and Abbe Sieyes gathered in the hall of a tennis court in Versailles and declared themselves as National Assembly. They also decided to draft a constitution to limit the powers of a monarch. On 14th July 1789, an agitated crowd destroyed the Bastille because it was hated by all French people as it symbolised the dominating power if the king. 

Due to some rumours spread from village to village in the countryside led the peasants to attack Chateau in many areas of France and looted hoarded grains and burnt documents containing records of manorial dues. Seeing the revolt the king agreed to proposals of the National Assembly and on 4th August 1789, France passed the law for abolishing the feudal system of obligations and taxes and thus France became a constitutional monarchy with National Assembly drafting a new constitution in 1791.

Conclusion

If we have a look at French and Haitian revolution we will notice that both of them are linked to each other as the success of French revolution pushed France to abolish slavery in 1794, and the Haitian Revolution outlasted the French Revolution. If we have a look at American and revolution we will notice that they received help from France for independence but the people of France attained republic without of much foreign help, which depicts the people if France as independent and helpful. In short, all these three revolutions are somehow connected to each other and outlasted one another in some terms.