Revolution in France

The Declaration of the Rights of Man When the threat of the king’s Swiss troops was countered the National Assembly had more freedom to act They used their freedom to write France’s first constitution – The Declaration of the Rights of Man

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The Declaration of the Rights of Man This called for several basic rights 1. Men are born and remain free and equal in rights. Social distinctions may be founded only upon the general good. 2. The aim of all political association is the preservation of the natural and imprescriptible rights of man. These rights are liberty, property, security, and resistance to oppression. 3. The principle of all sovereignty resides essentially in the nation. No body nor individual may exercise any authority which does not proceed directly from the nation. 4. Liberty consists in the freedom to do everything which injures no one else; hence the exercise of the natural rights of each man has no limits except those which assure to the other members of the society the enjoyment of the same rights. These limits can only be determined by law. 5. Law can only prohibit such actions as are hurtful to society. Nothing may be prevented which is not forbidden by law, and no one may be forced to do anything not provided for by law.

Consolidation of the Revolution With power in the hands of the National Assembly the revolutionaries then began to consolidate their gains They created a paper currency Gave law making power to the National Assembly Reformed the system of weights and measures Promoted Economic freedom Abolished the nobility

Consolidation of the Revolution After the constitution had been written the National Assembly stepped down from power They were replaced with the Legislative Assembly The government became a constitutional monarchy similar to that of Britain

Reactions to the Revolution The policies of the revolutionaries caused the nobles to flee from the country They went to Prussia and Austria to work to overthrow the revolution The Catholic Church also was in conflict with the revolutionaries as it called for the clergy to be employees of the state

Reactions to the Revolution Liberals saw the revolution as a victory of freedom over tyranny Conservatives felt that the destruction of the old order would lead to chaos and renewed tyranny Radicals thought the revolution did not go far enough

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