The-French-Revolution激烈的法国革命

TheFrenchRevolutionTheRevolutionwasaperiodofpoliticalandsocialupheavalandradicalchangeinthehistoryofFrance.TheFrenchgovernmentalstructure,previouslyanabsolutemonarchywithprivilegesforthearistocracyandCatholicclergy,underwentradicalchange.Thesechangeswereaccompaniedbyviolentturmoilwhichincludedthetrialandexecutionoftheking,vastbloodshedandrepressionduringtheReignofTerror,andwarfareinvolvingothermajorEuropeannations.ExecutionofLouisXVIHistoriansallagreethattheRevolutionwasawatershedeventthatchangedEuropeirrevocably(不可逆转).TheAmericanRevolution(1774)Finally,inatimeofhighlysecularizedEnlightenment,theideathatKingLouisXVIhadabsolutepowerduetodivineright—theideathathehadbeenhandpickedbyGod—didn’tholdnearlyasmuchwaterasinthepastfewdecades.Ultimately,theseproblemswerethefinalcatalystfortheRevolution.In1789,whentheEstates-General,reconvenedanditbecameapparentthatthehigher-rankingclassesrefusedtoforfeittheirprivilegestosavethecountry,thefrustrationoftheFrenchbourgeoisiereacheditsboilingpoint.TheRevolutionwasthusabattletoachieveequalityandremoveoppression.TheEstates-General,1789TheRevolutionwonanumberofvictories:1.NoruleraftertheRevolutiondaredtoreversethepropertyandrightsgainedduringtheRevolution,sothosewhohadpurchasedchurchlandwereallowedtokeepit.2.Thenewtaxsystemremaineddevoidoftheinfluenceofprivilege,sothateverymanpaidhisshareaccordingtopersonalwealth.3.Thebreakdownofchurchandfeudalcontractsfreedpeoplefromtithesandotherincurredfees.PeasantsPayingTithesOnthewhole,theFrenchpeoplehadseentheimpacttheycouldhaveovertheirgovernment,andthatliberating,inspiringspiritwasunlikelyeveragaintobesuppressed.SummaryofEventsNoonefactorwasdirectlyresponsiblefortheRevolution.YearsoffeudaloppressionandfiscalmismanagementcontributedtoaFrenchsocietythatwasripeforrevolt.Notingadownwardeconomicspiralinthelate1700s,LouisXVIbroughtinanumberoffinancialadvisorstoreviewtheweakenedFrenchtreasury.Eachadvisorreachedthesameconclusion—thatFranceneededaradicalchangeinthewayittaxedthepublic—andeachadvisorwas,inturn,kickedout.1.FeudalismandUnfairTaxationFinally,thekingrealizedthatthistaxationproblemreallydidneedtobeaddressed,soheappointedanewcontrollergeneraloffinance,CharlesdeCalonne,in1783.Calonnesuggestedthat,amongotherthings,Francebegintaxingthepreviouslyexemptnobility.Butthenobilityrefused.Financialruinthusseemedimminent.CharlesdeCalonne(bornJan.20,1734,Douai,France—diedOct.29,1802,Paris)2.TheEstates-GeneralIndesperation,LouisXVIdecidedin1789toconvenetheEstates-General,anancientassemblyconsistingofthreedifferentestatesthateachrepresentedaportionoftheFrenchpopulation.However,sincetwoofthethreeestates—theclergyandthenobility—weretax-exempt,theattainmentofanysuchsolutionwasunlikely.ThemeetingoftheEstatesGeneralMay5,1789Moreover,theoutdatedrulesoforderfortheEstates-Generalgaveeachestateasinglevote,despitethefactthattheThirdEstate—consistingofthegeneralFrenchpublic—wasmanytimeslargerthaneitherofthefirsttwo.Feudsquicklybrokeoutoverthisdisparityandwouldprovetobeirreconcilable.Realizingthatitsnumbersgaveitanautomaticadvantage,theThirdEstatedeclareditselfthesovereignNationalAssembly.Withindaysoftheannouncement,manymembersoftheothertwoestateshadswitchedallegiancesovertothisrevolutionarynewassembly.Liberté,Egalité,Fraternité:TheFrenchRevolution3.TheBastilleandtheGreatFearShortlyaftertheNationalAssemblyformed,itsmemberstooktheTennisCourtOath,swearingthattheywouldnotrelentintheireffortsuntilanewconstitutionhadbeenagreedupon.TheNationalAssembly’srevolutionaryspiritgalvanizedFrance,manifestinginanumberofdifferentways.TheTennisCourtOathbyJacques-LouisDavidInParis,citizensstormedthecity’slargestprison,theBastille,inpursuitofarms.Inthecountryside,peasantsandfarmersrevoltedagainsttheirfeudalcontractsbyattackingthemanorsandestatesoftheirlandlords.Dubbedthe“GreatFear,”theseruralattackscontinueduntiltheearlyAugustissuingoftheAugustDecrees,whichfreedthosepeasantsfromtheiroppressivecontracts.StormingtheBastille14July1789Shortlythereafter,theassemblyreleasedtheDeclarationoftheRightsofManandoftheCitizen,whichestablishedaproperjudicialcodeandtheautonomyoftheFrenchpeople.TheDeclarationoftheRightsofManandCitizenof17934.RiftsintheAssemblyThoughtheNationalAssemblydidsucceedindraftingaconstitution,therelativepeaceofthemomentwasshort-lived.Ariftslowlygrewbetweentheradicalandmoderateassemblymembers,whilethecommonlaborersandworkersbegantofeeloverlooked.WhenLouisXVIwascaughtinafoiledescapeplot,theassemblybecameespeciallydivided.ThemoderateGirondinstookastanceinfavorofretainingtheconstitutionalmonarchy,whiletheradicalJacobinswantedthekingcompletelyoutofthepicture.theJacobinstheGirondinsOutsideofFrance,someneighboringcountriesfearedthatFrance’srevolutionaryspiritwouldspreadbeyondFrenchland.Inresponse,theyissuedtheDeclarationofPillnitz,whichinsistedthattheFrenchreturnLouisXVItothethrone.Frenchleadersinterpretedthedeclarationashostile,sotheGirondin-ledassemblydeclaredwaronAustriaandPrussia.TheDeclarationofPillnitzonAug.27,1791,wasastatementissuedattheCastleofPillnitzinSaxony(southofDres