The French Revolution of 1789 overthrew the most powerful absolutist monarchy in Europe, and tried to create a new model of society based on the Enlightenment principles of liberty and equality. Most history since 1789 can be seen as a struggle between supporters and opponents of the ideals of the French Revolution. The French Revolution was thus a fundamental event in modern European history.
I. The elements of a revolutionary crisis
A. The limits of absolutism
1. rising popular expectations of government
2. the fiscal crisis
B. The program of the reformers
1. representative government and national sovereignty
2. the abolition of privilege
C. The role of the masses
1. the social and economic crisis of 1788-1789
2. the calling of the Estates-General
II. The revolutionary scenario
A. The National Assembly
B. The storming of the Bastille and the Great Fear in the countryside
C. Putting the Revolution into law
1. the abolition of feudalism
2. the Declaration of the Rights of Man and Citizen
III. The radicalization of the Revolution
A. The impossibility of compromise
B. Revolutionary war
C. The policy of terror
IV. Ending the revolution
A. The end of the Terror
B. The taming of the masses
The Abbé Sieyčs sums up the revolutionary program (1789): “The plan of this work is quite simple. We have three questions to put to ourselves: (1) What is the Third Estate [the common people]?—Everything. (2) What has it been in the political order until now?—Nothing. (3) What does it want?—To become something. What is necessary for a nation to live and prosper? The work of individuals and the service of the state. [He then proves that the commoners do all the necessary work of the nation.] Who, then, would dare to say that the Third Estate does not possess within itself all that is needed to make a complete nation? It is a strong and sturdy man with one arm still in chains… The Third Estate, therefore, embraces everything which belongs to the nation; and whatever is not part of the Third Estate may not be treated as part of the nation…” (from What is the Third Estate?)
A revolutionary slogan (1789): “Those above us look powerful only because we are on our knees. Let’s stand up!”
Robespierre justifies the Terror (1794): “Revolution is the war waged by liberty against its enemies; a constitution is that which crowns the edifice of freedom once victory has been won and the nation is at peace.”