French Revolution: From Monarchy to Republic

The French Revolution: A Transformative Era

The question was important: what was at stake was the idea of national sovereignty. The monarch and part of the nobility only accepted the dual representation, and the deputies of the Third Estate were erected in the National Assembly and pledged to draw up a constitution that reflected the will of the majority of the French.

The End of the Old Regime

The people of Paris supported the representatives of the Third Estate in the streets. They assaulted the Bastille, took up arms, and were available to defend the revolutionary process by force. The revolution also extended to the field in the form of an anti-feudal rebellion (The Great Fear). Given the popular radicalization, the National Constituent Assembly decreed the abolition of feudal privileges and issued the Declaration of the Rights of Man and of the Citizen. It acknowledged the inalienable rights of individual and collective freedoms, as well as equality before the law and taxes.

The Phases of the Revolution

After the creation of the National Assembly, France began the process of transforming into a liberal system. However, this task was not easy, mainly because of opposition from the king and the privileged, and the Revolution went through different stages.

The Constitutional Monarchy (1789-1792)

It had the support of the conservative bourgeoisie, who aspired to reach an agreement with the king and the privileged to abolish the Old Regime and impose liberalism.

The Democratic Republic (1792-1794)

It was promoted by the radical bourgeoisie and popular sectors that wanted a more profound transformation of society in a democratic and egalitarian sense.

The Bourgeois Republic (1794-1799)

It was a return to power of the conservative bourgeoisie, consecrated by the dominance of the owners.

The Constitutional Monarchy: The Reform Process

The King and nobility accepted the new situation, and a reform process started to make France a constitutional and parliamentary monarchy. A constitution was promulgated that exemplified the ideals of political liberalism: the separation of powers, national sovereignty, and legal equality of citizens. It also set indirect and census suffrage, which divided citizens into passive and active. After the adoption of the constitutional text, a Legislative Assembly was formed, which drafted new laws to ensure equality of all citizens, prohibit torture, force the nobility to pay taxes, and abolish the unions. To defend the conquests of the Revolution, a new army was created: the National Guard. Finally, in order to solve the financial crisis, the assets that were Church property were expropriated, declared national goods, and sold to private individuals. In return, the state said the maintenance of worship, and a Civil Constitution of the Clergy was created, separating Church and State.