The Successive Rulers Successfully Avoid the Principles of the Revolution - Essay Example

To What Extent did the Successive Rulers Successfully Avoid the Principles of the Revolution Between 1815 and 1848 There were many principles that were involved in regards to the Revolution between 1815 and 1848, and there were several rulers in particular that were able to successfully avoid these principles - Louis XVIII, Charles X, and Louis-Philippe - and to a great extent at that. In order to better understand exactly to what extent successive rulers, particularly those previously noted, avoided the principles of the Revolution between 1815 and 1848, there are several issues that need to be discussed. For one, we are going to have to understand about the Revolution itself a bit better, as well as about the rulers and what each of their aims were, as well as how successful they were in regards to these aims, and furthermore, we are going to address the terms of the Charter. By doing this, we will not only be able to understand this subject matter better, but we will also be able to attain a much more knowledgeable and informed point of view on this issue as well. This is what will be dissertated in the following. The French Revolution took place basically from the year 1789 to the year 1799, and it was a period in which serious political and social change took place in regards to the political history of France and Europe as a whole. As well, it was a period during which "the French governmental structure, previously an absolute monarchy with feudal privileges for the aristocracy and Catholic clergy, underwent radical change to forms based on Enlightenment ideals of democracy, citizenship, and inalienable rights. These changes were accompanied by violent turmoil, including mass executions and repressions during the Reign of Terror, and warfare involving every other major European power" (Wikipedia, 2007). After the Revolution, and basically for the next century on, France would then be governed as a republic, a dictatorship, a constitutional monarchy, and an empire as well. There are many different causes that are considered as being influential on the start of the French Revolution, and in particular there are many economic factors that are involved here. After all there was an incredibly poor economic situation that was present as well as a rather unmanageable national debt, and not only that but there were also a high number of wars during the 18th century, a fact which also greatly contributed to the start of the Revolution. As well there was an incredibly high unemployment rate and food scarcity that was apparent, particularly so in the months immediately preceding the onset of the Revolution. However there were also many social and political factors that were involved here, and for instance, there was a resentment of royal absolutism, as well as a resentment of noble privilege and dominance in public life by that of the more ambitious professional classes. The French Revolution, rather ironically enough, is considered as being a failed revolution, as "Liberte, Egalite, and Fraternite quickly descended to the towering figure of Robespierre and his Reign of Terror as the revolution spun out of control and began to murder itself. First the royalists were beheaded, next the moderate girondists, and by then the violence and suspicion was totally out of hand as the revolution devoured itself" (French, n.d.). It was in the year 1789 when the National Assembly took a collective oath to draft a new and 'better' civil constitution for France, and this task was finally completed in the year 1791. "The new constitution declared France to be a constitutional monarchyandWithin this new government, all legislative powers would fall to a single Legislative Assembly, which alone had the power to declare war and raise taxes" (Hooker, 1996). There were many things that came from this new constitution, and one of the most primary matters was that of economic reform; as the Assembly was faced with the project of reforming the finances and economy of the country and, not only this, but as well, the government had been successfully decentralized and the country of France was remotely democratized. "It was a revolution inspired by, led by, and ruled by the middle class; it was no wonder, then, that the constitution and the economic reforms were, in the end, great windfalls for the middle class" (Hooker, 1996). Reactionary is a term that is used to describe in regards to the context of the French Revolution, used for those counter-revolutionaries who wished not to go by the rules of the constitution and the principles of the revolution, but instead who wished to restore the real or imagined conditions of the monarchial Ancien Regime. "Through the 19th century, it was used to refer to those who wished to preserve feudalism or aristocratic privilege against industrialism, republicanism, liberalism and in some cases socialism. The term 'reactionary' is frequently used as a term of opprobrium, meant to assert the idea that the opposition is based in merely reflexive politics rather than responsive and informed views" (Wikipedia2, 2007). There were many people that were considered as being reactionary and several French rulers in particular - Louis XVIII, Charles X, and Louis-Philippe. Louis XVIII was the ruler and King of France from 1814 until his death in 1824, with a brief break in between here, in the year 1815, due to Napolean's return which took place this year. Louis XVIII was one of the most major persons who was involved with this reactionary attitude, and he was able to quite well avoid the principles of the revolution, and we can see this for one due to how he made a declaration in Verona in the year 1794, which stated that he rejected all of the changes that had been made in France since the year 1789, which basically resulted in destroying the position that was set in place by the moderate constitutional monarchists in France at that time, and these were the people who had wished to restore the monarchy under a rather limited constitution, and thus Louis XVIII was really acting reactionary against the entire revolution in general. He was able to avoid the principles that were set on by the revolution quite well, and this was up until the point where he began corresponding with Napoleon and actually offered to Napoleon to take back his declaration and said that he would agree to cooperate and stand by the changes that were made from the year 1789 on, and Napoleon's response to this was that "the return of any Bourbon king to France would be accompanied by another civil war with at least another 100,000 dead bodiesandWith the army solidly behind him, Bonaparte likely could have restored the Bourbon monarchy while still being the power behind the throne. However, he preferred to rule in name as well as substance" (Wikipedia3, 2007). After this, following the defeat of Napoleon in 1814, Louis XVIII ended up securing the French throne, and one of the most important issues here is the fact that Louis was made to grant a written constitution which would guarantee that of a bicameral legislature, and this was known as the Charter of 1814. The Charter itself is incredibly significant and influential in regards to this subject matter overall, and basically what was involved in this Charter was the guarantee of many of the rights that most of the other countries throughout Europe had at that point in time. More specifically, it "created a hereditary/appointive Chamber of Peers and an elected Chamber of Deputies, although the franchise was extremely limited". (Wikipedia3, 2007). Then there was Charles X, who was king of France from 1824-1830, and he as well was incredibly reactionary towards the revolution and towards the principles of the revolution, and it was at his coronation at Reims, after succeeding to the throne in September 1824 that he came forth and proclaimed his intention of ruling, informing everyone that he was reactionary against the principles of the revolution and that he would not be complying with the settings of it. "His first acts, indeed, allayed the worst alarms of the Liberals; but it was soon apparent that the weight of the crown would be consistently thrown into the scale of the reactionary forces. The migrs were awarded a milliard as compensation for their confiscated lands; and Gallicans and Liberals alike were offended by measures which threw increased power into the hands of the Jesuits and Ultramontanes". (NNDB, 2005). Louis-Philippe, who was the king of France from 1830-1848, was also part of this reactionary effort, and he too avoided the principles of the revolution during his time in power. In fact, he was involved in the disastrous day of Neerwinden, which took place on March 18, 1793, and he was also an accomplice in the plot to march on Paris and overthrow the republic. He was brought under suspicion many different times in regards to his reactionary actions, and he was perhaps the ruler who most avoided the principles of the revolution, and in fact, in the year 1815, his attitude in the House of Peers cost him a two years' exile to Twickenham. His protestations were considered as being incredibly hypocritical in many different ways, and although he considered it as being more of 'personal ambition', he was negatively considered by many in France at that time. This charter of 1814 was revised in the year 1830, and then resulted in remaining in effect until the year 1848, and what it basically did was preserve many of the liberties that were won by the French Revolution. There are two features in particular of the charter that are important to make note of, one being that as a statement of what the restored Bourbons would accept, the charter thus exhibited some of the most influential and critical gains of the revolution, and it was this which truly brought about when put in comparison with that of typical cahiers of 1789, for example, or when compared with that of the constitution of 1791. There were many different public laws of the French that were evoked on this charter, and this includes that of the following: "Frenchmen are equal before the law, whatever may be their titles and ranks; they contribute without distinction, in proportion to their fortunes, towards the expenses of the state; they are all equally admissible to civil and military employments; their personal liberty is likewise guaranteed, no one can be persecuted nor arrested save in the cases provided by law and in the form which it prescribes; every one may profess his religion with equal freedom, and shall obtain for his worship the same protection;" (Research, 2002) and so on. There were also rules that were set in place in the charter in regards to the form of the government of the king, and that includes: "The person of the king is inviolable and sacred; the king is the supreme head of the state, commands the land and sea forces, declares war, makes treaties of peace, alliance and commerce, appoints to all places of public administration, and makes the necessary regulations and ordinances for the execution of the laws and the security of the state; the legislative power is exercised collectively by the king, the Chamber of Peers, and the Chamber of Deputies of the departments;" (Research, 2005) and so on. From this review, we can conclude many things. For one, we have seen that the French Revolution took place during a time of great controversy and anarchy, and the revolution itself fixed many problems while at the same time creating new ones as well. We have also been able to conclude as to what extent the successive rulers were able to successfully avoid the principles of this revolution, during the years of 1815-1848 in particular, and we have also seen what measures took place in regards to their reactionary actions. Furthermore, we were able to see what the aims of three leaders in particular were - Louis XVIII, Charles X, and Louis-Philippe - and as well whether or not they were able to uphold these aims and how successful they were in doing so, and as well we learned about the terms of the charter and how the charter was involved here to begin with. Thus, we have been able to not only gain a proper and informed answer in regards to our questions, but as well we have been able to attain a much more knowledgeable and understanding view on this subject matter overall. References Burbeck, J. (2003). The French Revolt and Empire. Retrieved March 1, 2007, from http://www.wtj.com/articles/napsum1/ French. (n.d.). The French Revolution. Retrieved March 1, 2007, from http://www.rjgeib.com/thoughts/french/french.html Hooker, R. (1996). The First Revolution. Retrieved March 1, 2007, from http://www.wsu.edu/dee/REV/FIRST.HTM NNDB. (2005). Charles X. Retrieved March 1, 2007, from http://www.nndb.com/people/833/000093554/ Research. (2002). Constitutional Charter of 1814. Retrieved March 1, 2007, from http://faculty.umf.maine.edu/orosz/France/French%20Documents/Charter%20of%201814_files/c_charter.htm Wikipedia. (2007). French Revolution. Retrieved March 1, 2007, from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/French_Revolution Wikipedia2. (2007). Reactionary. Retrieved March 1, 2007, from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reactionary Wikipedia3. (2007). Louis XVIII of France. Retrieved March 1, 2007, from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Louis_XVIII_of_France Read More