The Irony of The Republic that Never Existed
“The Republic One and Indivisible of Liberty, Equality, Fraternity, or Death.” This statement is best known as the slogan of the French Revolution and is mentioned as a popular quote in A Tale of Two Cities by Charles Dickens. The French revolution, (as told by Wikipedia) was a period of radical social and political upheaval in France from 1789 to 1799 that had a fundamental impact on French history and on modern history worldwide. This war, that lasted 10 years, is the main focus of A Tale of Two Cities. The Slogan of The French Revolution, that was frequently mentioned in the book, is completely filled with Irony.
First starting with The Republic. Webster’s 1828 Dictionary defines a Republic as, “a state in which the exercise of the sovereign power is lodged in representatives elected by the people.” At this point in time, France was not a Republic. This, however, was what they were aiming for as the outcome of this ten year civil war. At the time, France was composed of total chaos, due to not having an official form of government. An example from the book, is a quote by the seamstress, referring to her cousin, just before she is guillotined. “What I have been thinking as we came along, and what I am still thinking now, as I look into your kind strong face which gives me so much support, is this: If the Republic really does good to the poor, and they come to be less hungry, and in all ways to suffer less, she may live a long time: she may even live to be old.” It is clear that she believes her death will provide hope to the republic, which doesn't even exist.
Liberty, as defined by Webster’s 1828 Dictionary means, “A state of society so far only abridged and restr...
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...l the deaths that occurred in this war, only succeeded to destroy a nation, taking them away from their goal.
As you can see, the statement “The Republic One and Indivisible of Liberty, Equality, Fraternity, or Death.” is filled to the brim with irony. Who ever came up with this statement was clearly trying to picture France as the perfect Republic. When in truth, it only managed to give the people of France a false sense of hope and a belief that the continuation of the war would create the perfect Republic, that could never exist. Perhaps the revolutionaries should have rewritten their slogan. Something to the effect of, “The Aspiring Republic, having not yet succeeded in being One and Indivisible of Liberty, Equality, Fraternity, and Death.” (dauntingbooks.wordpress.com)
Taylor Lundy
11/11/13
Works Cited
as told by Wikipedia)(dauntingbooks.wordpress.com)
Foner, Eric. Give me liberty!: an American history. Seagull fourth ed. New York: W.W. Norton, 2014. Print.
Foner, Eric. Give Me Liberty!: An American History. Fourth ed. Vol. 1. New York: W.W. Norton, 2012. 247-316. Print.
In Eric Foner’s book, The Story of American Freedom, he writes a historical monograph about how liberty came to be. In the book, his argument does not focus on one fixed definition of freedom like others are tempted to do. Unlike others, Foner describes liberty as an ever changing entity; its definition is fluid and does not change in a linear progress. While others portray liberty as a pre-determined concept and gradually getting better, Foner argues the very history of liberty is constantly reshaping the definition of liberty, itself. Essentially, the multiple and conflicting views on liberty has always been a “terrain of conflict” and has changed in time (Foner xv).
“Long live the Republic “ is what a guard shouted when Louis XVI got executed. Seeing the gruesome act their king getting beheaded led to many people horrified. The Jacobin leader Robespierre ‘s became very paranoid and killed thousands of people at guillotine . Robespierre’s tried to protect the Revolution but this plan backfired . Also the introduction to the proposal of “Republic of virture“ which angered many people. The Jacobin leader were power hungry tyrants because of the events of the Reign of Terror beheadings of the guillotine, the attempt to protect the revolution and the proposal of a “Republic of virtue”.
Destiny of the Republic by Candice Millard is a non fiction book on the killing of James
The citizens of France, inspired by the enlightenment, desired a government run by the people. Marquis de Lafayette wrote, “Men are born and remain free and equal in rights; social distinctions may be based only upon general usefulness” (de Lafayette 783). The French wanted to bring equality to all classes. The French revolution brought much more social change than the American revolution. Inspired by Lafayette’s declaration that, “no group, no individual may exercise authority not emanating expressly therefrom” (de Lafayette 783), the class system was destroyed. The revolutionaries were open to ending slavery, however women remained marginalized within the social structure of France. Similarly to the American revolution, the enlightenment ideas that drove the French revolution were not applied to society as a
The French Revolution was a tumultuous period, with France exhibiting a more fractured social structure than the United States. In response, the French Declaration of the Rights of Man and Citizen proposed that “ignorance, neglect, or contempt of the rights of man are the sole cause of public calamities, and of the corruption of governments” (National Assembly). This language indicates that the document, like its counterpart in the United States, sought to state the rights of men explicitly, so no doubt existed as to the nature of these rights. As France was the center of the Enlightenment, so the Enlightenment ideals of individuality and deism are clearly expressed in the language of the document. The National Assembly stated its case “in
"With the Gracchi, all the consequences of empire - social, economic and political - broke loose in the Roman state, inaugurating a century of revolution." (The Roman Revolution, Ronald Syme, p16).
Foner, Eric. "Chapter 9." Give Me Liberty!: An American History. Brief Third ed. Vol. One. New York: W.W. Norton, 2012. N. pag. Print.
The French Revolution is believed to be caused by the corruption that the country was trying to achieve within their nation. Nietzsche goes on to say that “The essential thing, however, in a good and healthy aristocracy is that it should not regard itself as a function either of the kingship or the common-wealth, but as the significance highest justification thereof---that it should therefore accept with a good conscience the sacrifice of a legion of individuals.” What Nietzsche is trying to explain is that for a nation to work properly, both society must become one in order to prevail the fallen of the country.
John Stuart Mill defines liberty, as a limitation of power; “By liberty, was meant protection against the tyranny of the political rulers. The rulers were conceived (except in some of the popular governments of Greece) as in a necessarily antagonistic position to the people whom they ruled.” (John Stuart Mill “On Liberty” Pg. 29) This limit on power is what he refers to as civil liberty; the limitation is put into play for the people, Mill acknowled...
]“Little by little, the old world crumbled, and not once did the king imagine that some of the pieces might fall on him.” – Jennifer Donnelly. The French Revolution was a time period in which the people of its country had enough. They ripped up the thousand-year-old monarchy and redesigned their country’s way of government. The French Revolution was a time of struggle for its people. King Louis XVI had essentially bankrupted the country with his lavish spending and his involvement in the American Revolution. While the king was living a luxurious life, his people couldn’t even eat. During this time the king had people heavy taxes on the Third Estate, which consisted of 98% of the population, causing the French citizens to resent the monarchy. This lead to riots, looting, and strikes in a stance for better living conditions. Women of France had a specific hatred of the queen, Marie Antoinette. In the early days of October 1789, thousands of Partisans, several of which were women, walked
“Society was cut in two: those who had nothing united in common envy; those who had anything united in common terror.” The French Revolution was a painful era that molded the lives of every citizen living in France and changed their ways of life forever. Beginning in 1789 and lasting ten years until 1799, the people of France lived in a monarch society under King Louis XVI’s rule. He was a very harsh ruler and had many restrictions placed on his people. They eventually overthrow him and become a monarch society. Among his deceptive ways, the people also experienced “The Reign of Terror,” which was a period where many lives were taken by the guillotine. Other revolutionary events included rebellions, constitutions, and groups. One of the popular groups that contributed greatly to the French Revolution were the Jacobins who were led by Maximilien Robespierre.
I do not know will this revolution will be accomplished or not. What I know is that even such liberal, supporter of equality people can do this, and there is nothing to believe by heart in this brutal world. I am sure that this revolution process affected and changed the lives of all the French people. They did the most extreme things during this period. What is most extreme for me is killing myself and now there I am at this point. I hope, my country goes well after me even I am s
“Freedom.” It is a word with many different connotations, but symbolizes one central idea: Liberty. Freedom has always been deeply embedded in the history of our nation. Throughout time, many Americans have fought for freedom. From the Pilgrims, who set sail from England to the shores of Cape Cod to escape religious persecution, to the Founding Fathers of America who fought for freedom from England’s oppression, our fellow Americans have always fought for what they believed in. They gained certain freedoms that they thought would not only be important to them, but to future generations. However, it is evident that society today does not value those same freedoms.