A period of ideological struggle, political tension and social upheaval, the French Revolution was to be at the very centre of European history, and would shape the very foundation of modern society as we know it today. 

Not dissimilar from other revolutions, the French revolution was, in part driven by divergent philosophies inevitably coming into oppositional contact with each other. Despite the common causes and parallels between similar historic events however, the French revolution in particular was different, in that it was by far the most violent and most significant of said revolutions. It saw the demise of the absolute monarchy which had feudal privileges for the aristocracy and Catholic clergy and the flowering of a new era, built upon principles of the enlightenment, nationalism and human rights.

With an ever increasing population of prosperous and wealthy commoners, merchants, manufacturers and professionals, the bourgeoisie (they were called) aspired to political power in the countries which did not already possess it – namely France. The peasants, many of whom owned acres of land, had been able to educate themselves, thus acquiring an improved standard of living through newly found knowledge. This further stirred up already widespread desires to get rid of the last vestiges of the feudal regime - the eradication of which would allow full rights for landowners as well as the ability to increase their holdings through the emerging concept of a “free market.”

The subsequent increase in population drove demand for food and consumer goods. But by 1770, prosperity waned, and an economic crisis followed – provoking alarm and even revolt among ordinary people. Arguments for social reform began to advance, with intellectual philosophes inspiring all sorts of nuanced arguments. The influence of 17th century theorists such as Descartes, Spinoza and Locke is evident, despite the very different conclusions about political, social and economic matters.

Indeed, in the eyes of the common folk and those who represented them, a revolution seemed necessary to apply the ideas of Voltaire or Rousseau. This enlightenment rapidly spread among the educated classes by many “societies of thought” that originated at the time: masonic lodges, agricultural societies and reading rooms. A massive boom of intellectual inquiry and engagement made the prospect of a revolution ever more certain, in what was then understood to be a severely unjust system.

The increasing divide between the aristocracy and the common people led inexorably to an escalation of tensions and mutual hatred, further aggravating commoners to the point of civil war – which was to be played out as a bloody revolution, ultimately overthrowing the state. Efforts to quell the storm failed, in that allowing people to attain citizenship only served to further the demise of the elite. With the point of no-return fast approaching, the state ordered the execution of around 18,000 – 40,000 people. This was to be the point of no return for the country, resulting in years of civil war, societal strife and uncertainty.

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