Defining Key Political Terms of the French Revolution

Essential Political Terminology of the French Revolution

States General

The French Assembly, historically presided over by the King, where, dating from the Middle Ages, the three estates met: the Clergy, the Nobility, and the Third Estate. This body was convened primarily to pass taxes by issuing a vote for their establishment.

National Sovereignty

A concept stemming from Enlightenment ideas and consolidated during the French Revolution. It argues that political power emanates not from the King, but from the entire nation, comprising all citizens.

National Assembly

A meeting of representatives of the nation in France. This body undertook the task of drafting a constitution that reflected the will of the majority of the French people. It operated in two main stages:

• National Constituent Assembly
• National Legislative Assembly

Declaration of the Rights of Man and of the Citizen

A foundational statement issued by the French National Assembly recognizing the fundamental rights and freedoms of citizens, ensuring equality before the law, and regulating taxation.

Constitution

The law of the highest rank within a state. It regulates the political system, the operation of the government, and the rights and freedoms of citizens. It is obligatory for all, and all subordinate laws must comply with it.

Right of Veto

The legal power held by the King or any other designated body to oppose or block the enactment of a law passed by the assembly.

Suffrage Based on Census

Voting rights limited exclusively to individuals possessing significant wealth, large fortunes, or high incomes.

Indirect Election

A method of voting where citizens do not directly elect their final representatives. Instead, they choose electors or deputies who, in turn, vote for other representatives in a multi-stage process until the final members of parliament (MPs) are chosen.

Universal Suffrage

A system that allows all adult citizens to vote. It is important to note that in the nineteenth century, this right was often limited to male adults only.

Confiscation

The process by which the state nationalized properties belonging to the Church and various civil organizations. These assets were then typically auctioned off and converted into the private property of individual citizens.

Political Factions of the Convention (1792–1795)

Girondins

A group of deputies belonging to the French Convention (1792). They consisted of the more moderate bourgeoisie compared to the Jacobins. They strongly defended freedom and the right to property as inalienable rights.

Jacobins

Radical club members who dominated the political life of France during the Republican Convention (1793). Holding radical ideas, they defended the alliance with the popular classes and prioritized the right to equality over liberty. Their top leader was Robespierre.

The Convention

The assembly elected by universal suffrage to draft a new constitution following the proclamation of the French Republic in 1792. The Convention had three main stages:

1. The Girondin Convention
2. The Jacobin Convention (or Montagnard Convention)
3. The Thermidorian Convention