The Terror Was Appropriate For The French Revolution To Succeed. Essay

The Terror Was Appropriate For The French Revolution To Succeed. The Use of Terror was Necessary for The French Revolution To Succeed The involvement of the Reign of Terror was compulsory for the French Revolution to Prevail. Sure this period in History was responsible for the extermination of more than 20,000 people but it would weed out the enemies of the republic regardless of past loyalties and affections. Cruel, harsh and inhumane, it would be administered at the request and for the benefit of the nation. (Moulder, p110) Originally known as the Region of Terror it was a period running from September 1793 to August 1794, executed by the 12 members of the Committee of Public Safety and overseen by Maximilien Robespierre. What brought about the Terror? After the royal family was captured in Varennes, Moderate Revolutionaries still wanted to preserve the constitutional monarchy, while the radicals distrusted the King and wanted a republic. Many peoples' lives changed during this time, peoples' ideas also changed. Food costs kept rising, to pay for the war. The government was printing huge amounts of paper money called assignats. But the more bank notes it printed, the less they were worth: The Currency was suffering from inflation (Brooman, p43) By 1793 a bank note was worth only half the amount printed on it. Bread were getting expensive, because farmers did not want to sell their grain in exchange for the now invaluable money. And so hungry Sans Culottes raided food stores to gather and consume food they could not purchase. Food shortages now occurred. When Louis XVI and his wife fled to the Legislative assembly, they were imprisoned. they called for a National Convention to write a newer constitution. The National Convention met in September. The National Convention tried and convicted Louis XVI for treason. He was sentenced to death. News of his death spread all through out Europe. Monarchs of European Nations feared that the revolution would spread and would happen to them. By 1793, the French Armies occupied the Austrian Netherlands and were about to invade Prussia. But, in 1793, Great Britain, the Dutch Netherlands, and Spain went along with Prussia and Austria in a war against France. With these five powerful nations fighting against France, the French were outnumbered and outmatched. This war caused many deaths at home due to Starvation. People thought that revolution had gone too far and should be put to an End. Who made the Committee of Public Safety, Why, What and Who are they, What did they want? In the effort to restore temporary peace in the society, the National Convention made a constitution that created a Committee of Public Safety. The 12 members of the Committee were changed every month, it had broad powers which included the organisation of the nation's defenses, all foreign policy, and the supervision of ministers. The Committee also ordered arrests and trials for Counter Revolutionaries and imposed government authority across the Nation. The Committee steadily accumulated power and control of government. Only twelve men controlled the Committee of Public Safety, Some members included St. Andre, St. Just, Lindet, Collot d'Herbois, Barere, but it was ultimately led by Maximilien Robespierre. Prieur de le Cote' Or, One of it's members, described how the committee worked: From 7 o'clock they took themselves to their offices to read despatches. At 10 o'clock the members present took up the business on hand and discussed it and decisions were reached. At 1 o'clock few members will leave to attend the main sessions of the convention, others continued with their business. At 5 or 6 PM they left to dine and 8:00 the meeting was resumed. (Primary Sources you issued us in Class, The number on header was 16 - The Revolutionary Government. A series part of The French Revolution collection.) History Reports