The fall of Bastille emboldened the NationalAssembly to abolish feudalism in the country.Shaken by the turn of events, the king alsoaccepted the formation of a national assembly.The Church was asked to forego its privileges andabolish the tithe. In 1791, the National Assemblydrafted the constitution by which the powers ofthe king were limited. It also proposed to havethree different organs: executive, legislativeand judiciary. The members of the NationalAssembly were indirectly elected by a group ofelectors. The electors were voted by the malecitizens, who were above 25 years of age andwho paid taxes. Thus the majority of the citizens
did not get voting rights. While the king agreed to the constitutional
monarchy on one hand, on the other he was12th class Economics MLMsecretly appealing for help from Austria andPrussia. The neighbouring kingdoms were
watching the developments in France withconcern. They feared that the rise of commonpeople might bring to an end the rule of12th class Economics MLM
monarchs and so they sent their troops toFrance to contain the revolution. Meanwhilethe National Assembly declared war againstAustria and Prussia. On hearing this, people12th class Economics MLMfrom various parts of France united to fight theforeign forces. A group of people from the placeof Marseilles proceeded to Paris by singing theMarseillaise song.
The common people continued to suffereven after the formation of the National
Assembly. Majority of the people saw theassembly as a place for rich persons as
commoners were excluded from voting. Thenew armed power in Paris was in the hands of a12th class Economics MLMNational Guard recruited from the middle class.Lafayette, who acted as an official French adviserin the American War of Independence, was its12th class Economics MLMchief. There was a general feeling of liberationand exaltation when the king, ex-aristocrats, themiddle classes and the Parisian masses jointlycommemorated the first anniversary of the fall12th class Economics MLMof the Bastille as a great festival. But this senseof unity did not last long. Dissatisfied people12th class Economics MLMstarted forming political clubs to discuss theproblems they faced. One such club whichattained popularity was the Jacobin Club inParis. The members were from poor sections12th class Economics MLMof the society – small scale business people,artisans, servants and wage labourers. Theirleader was Maximilian Robespierre. A majorityof the members of the Jacobin club wore long-12th class Economics MLMstriped trousers as against the trousers withknee breeches usually worn by the noble class.In order to differentiate from them, they calledthemselves ‘the people without knee breaches’
(sans-culottes). Another lawyer Dantondominated the Cordelier Club.
Robespierre did not want to lose the gainsmade in the previous four years and hencecommenced his dictatorial rule. The Jacobinssent Girondin leaders to the guillotine, abeheading machine. Danton was beheaded.The period between 1793 and 1794 was alsoa time of radical reforms. On 4 February 1794the Jacobin-dominated Convention decreedthe abolition of slavery in all French Lands.Robespierre imposed a maximum ceiling on thewages of the people. Food items such as bread12th class Economics MLMand meat were rationed. Prices were fixed bythe government for farm produces. The use ofSir and Madam was replaced by the use of thewords male citizen and female citizen. Religious12th class Economics MLMplaces such as churches were converted intoarmy barracks. Angered over the radicalisation12th class Economics MLMof the government and at the base of society, hisown party members turned against Robespierre.He was convicted and finally executed in 1794.
12th class| Economics |MLM|Guide
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