French Revolution : Liberty, equality, fraternity, or death; - the last, much the easiest to bestow, O Guillotine!
Revolutions are a major part of history. Some of the revolution started and faded in time, and some revolutions lasted long enough to bring a change in history and the present. The revolutions are a hot topic in political science studies. Most of the revolutions are intended to fight or change the government of way of governance.
Europe has experienced immense of revolutions that have shaped the present European continent. The French revolution is one of the most discussed revolutions that changed the cause of history. French revolution took place in 1789 in France. The causes that initiated the French revolution were bankruptcy due to government debt, class conflicts, the Enlightenment and the totalitarian rule. These socio-economic, political conditions of France became the reasons for the Frenchmen to revolt for social, political and economic equality.
The French government was accused of spending too much on wars, armaments and lavish lifestyles caring little for the poor and poverty-stricken countrymen. The ongoing destructive economic recession of the time contributed to more reasons, such as agricultural, trading and manufacturing decline. This led to more unemployment and poverty in the country. The French revolution was a horrifying event that overthrew the monarchy and created political chaos.
Then the ruler of France was lavishly invested among themselves and their needs. The common people or the middle class of French were called the third estate. The third estate consisted of 97% of people who were devoid of their basic rights. To contemplate, the third estate Frenchmen broke out into protests and formed the National Assembly in 1789. In the summer of 1789, the third estate Frenchmen broke into a prison courtyard and took over their weapons. this was known as the storming of the Bastille.
Soon the national assembly wrote, “ Declarations of the Rights of Man and Citizens”. This was written to make the first and second estate realize that the basic human rights enjoyed only by them is meant for all. This declaration played a major role in the French revolution. This successfully granted all men, equal rights and abolished aristocratic privileges. This was the idea of early philosophers called the Enlightenment.
In 1791, a constitution was set up in France, marking the success of the French revolution. All men were granted equal rights, and the class conflicts were reduced. This change led to the rational collapse of the absolute French monarchy as the lower class were beginning to have more power than before. By 1792, France was a democratic republic.
Although the French revolution was a success in achieving rights and powers, it failed in achieving aristocratic privileges in the first half of the revolution. This revolt against the ruler led to massacres of 1792 that went up to five days, killing of many prisoners of Paris and the lower-class countrymen. This massacre was brought into force by the aristocratic privileged. The French revolution failed to gain power over the high-class society. The National assembly also sentenced 20-40 thousand common people to death, to prevent counter-revolution and enemies. The French Revolution ended in 1799 with Napoleon coming into power.
