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Oppression: The Smothering of Liberté, Égalité, et Fraternité When a desperate craving for power encompasses the minds of a ruling body and the fear of losing all that it has earned is ever prevalent, oppression is sure to follow. As a precedent to the French Revolution, the French monarchy displayed this desperation for power and maintaining it by turning up their noses to the problems of their people whilst continuing on with their lavish lifestyles. Strangely, when the general populace rebelled against the government that refused to acknowledge their needs, they established the Republic of Virtue, an oppressive government that strongly contradicted its name. The anger and fear that became the heart of a rebellion for liberté, égalité,
Clearly there never was just one French Revolution, but rather a series of revolutions. These occurred while the French struggled to create a new political and social system – one that would follow principles radically different to that of the ‘ancient’ regime. There were five regimes during the French Revolution between 1787 and 1800. However, despite this fragmented revolution, the same fundamental principles guided most of the revolutionaries involved. These principles included equality under law, centralisation of government, elimination of feudal rights, religious freedom and careers open to talent, not birth.
In the Summer of 1787, fifty-five delegates representing 12 out of the 13 states in Philadelphia to fix the Articles of Confederation. They met in philadelphia because the Articles of Confederation was too weak. Shay’s rebellion was the end of the Articles of Confederation bringing down the whole network calling for a change of government. They did this to prevent a tyrant or tyranny. A tyrant/tyranny is when someone or a group abuses their power. The Constitution guarded against tyranny through Federalism, Separation of powers, Checks and Balances, and The Great Compromise.
During the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries, rulers adopted basic enlightenment principles, like religious toleration, freedom of speech and press, and the right to hold and maintain private property. According to Kant, in his What is Enlightenment? of 1784, “A prince who…prescribes nothing to men in religious matters but to give them complete freedom while renouncing the haughty name of tolerance, is himself enlightened and deserves to be esteemed by the grateful world and posterity.” Many rulers accepted these newfound ideas; however, when it came time to actually implement them, rulers were often too scared of losing power. This, in turn, led to the idea of an “enlightened despot,” who reflected the principles of the Enlightenment, yet continued to exercise the basic ideals of despotism.
“The King must die so that the country can live”. With this strong sentence the French revolutionary Maximilien Robespierre expressed his opinion about this absurdity that we use to call monarchy. The monarchy is an historical tyranny that should be abolished now, and replaced by the true government of the people, the republic.
In his 1791 publication, Rights of Man, Thomas Paine, an American revolutionary and pamphleteer, characterized America as a just nation where “the principles of society and the rights of man” unite all Americans together. Paine painted an ideal image of America, one founded on unity, equality, and freedom that appears ludicrous to some and visionary to others; however, by combining certain elements of Paine’s America and casting out others we can paint a more vivid picture of contemporary America as only some aspects of Paine’s America remain true. In today’s America, as Paine stated, “the poor are not oppressed” as we see many politicians and citizens dedicate time and effort toward assisting the poor and developing plans to help them out
It was Emerson who said it best, “For nonconformity, the world whips you with its displeasure” (Porter 1155). With a detailed look of Amy Tan’s “Two Kinds” and John Updike’s “A&P,” you will find that this quote is entirely applicable in the context of oppressiveness and in the likeness of “coming of age.” These two stories document the different perspectives of two characters’ growing up and how the role of the invisible hand of oppression guides developing adolescents into mature adults; without prejudice or even forethought. The characters in question are: Sammy, an A&P store clerk whose time spent at work reveals how oppressed by society he is, and Jing-Mei, whose life and every move is dictated by the iron fist of her high-expectations Asian mother. In comparing these stories, you will find how two characters, with very different lives, are essentially affected by the same forces of humanity.
Liberty, equality, and freedom are all essential parts to avoiding anarchy and maintaining tranquility even through the most treacherous of times. The Reign of Terror is well known as the eighteen month long French Revolution (1793-1794). In this period of time, a chief executive, Maximilien Robespierre, and a new French government executed gigantic numbers of people they thought to be enemies of the revolution, inside and outside of the country. The question is: were these acts of the new French government justified? Not only are the acts that occurred in the Reign of Terror not justified, they were barbaric and inhumane.
During the eighteenth century, France was one of the most richest and prosperous countries in Europe, but many of the peasants were not happy with the way France was being ruled. On July 14, 1789, peasants and soldiers stormed the Bastille and initiated the French Revolution. This essay will analyze the main causes of the French Revolution, specifically, the ineffectiveness of King Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette, the dissatisfaction of the Third Estate, and the Enlightenment. It will also be argued that the most significant factor that caused the French Revolution is the ineffective leadership of King Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette.
Throughout history freedom has had many different meanings and definitions; based on race, gender, and ethnicity. According to the dictionary freedom means the state of being free or at liberty rather than in confinement or under physical restraint (“freedom” def. 1). Freedom may seem like something given to everyone however it was something workers had to fight for. Not everyone believed that workers’ rights needed to be changed, which led to a long battle between workers, employers and the government. To the working class people freedom meant making higher wages, having regulated hours, workable conditions and the right to free speech.
The subject matter of the “Republic” is the nature of justice and its relation to human existence. Book I of the “republic” contains a critical examination of the nature and virtue of justice. Socrates engages in a dialectic with Thrasymachus, Polemarchus, and Cephalus, a method which leads to the asking and answering of questions which directs to a logical refutation and thus leading to a convincing argument of the true nature of justice. And that is the main function of Book I, to clear the ground of mistaken or inadequate accounts of justice in order to make room for the new theory. Socrates attempts to show that certain beliefs and attitudes of justice and its nature are inadequate or inconsistent, and present a way in which those views about justice are to be overcome.
Feudalist France was a rich, powerful, and respected nation for hundreds of years- until it appeared to collapse like house of cards in the breeze. The catalyst for this change could be attributed to several causes, but ultimately it was the actions of one group that furthered the revolution most. Maturity enabled the bourgeoisie to dispute their position in society, seeing their lack of political voice as an irrefutable issue. Furthermore, they put their goals of change into effect by shifting France’s sovereignty. In short, the bourgeoisie were most influential in furthering the French Revolution because of their drive for political participation.
Each social class in France has its own reasons for wanting a change in government. The aristocracy was upset by the king’s power, while the Bourgeoisie was upset by the privileges of the aristocracy. The peasants and urban workers were upset by their burdensome existence. The rigid, unjust social structure meant that citizens were looking for change because “all social classes.had become uncomfortable and unhappy with the status quo.” (Nardo, 13)
Before the French Revolution occurred, France was dominated by the aristocrats who treated those of the lower class as no more than dirt under their feet. The outcome of their brutality resulted in the starving and oppressed citizens of France instigating an all-out rebellion. “The Republic one and indivisible of Liberty, Equality, Fraternity, or Death,” is a phrase which fueled the French Revolution. The phrase reflected the intent of the revolutionaries, which was to form a republic where everyone was free, equal, and bound by the bonds of brotherhood, which not even death could break. While their intentions may have seemed noble in the beginning, the outcome certainly was not. Resulting in utter chaos, their so called republic soon became anarchy. Generally considered as one of the greatest novels of all time, “A Tale of Two Cities” by Charles Dickens displays the Irony of the revolutionary phrase, “The Republic one and indivisible of Liberty, Equality, Fraternity, or Death.”
Sparknotes editors. “Sparknote on The French Revolution (1789-1999)”. Sparknotes.com. Sparknotes LLC. 2005. Web. 1 Oct. 2013.
After years of distrust in the government and hatred towards the nobility, the French people rose up and started a revolution (The French Revolution). The Declaration of the Rights of Man, made in 1789, put the ideas of the French Revolution onto paper. They stated that all men are born equal and that they have the right to liberty and property, and security (Rogers, 2011). After the removal of the monarchy and the beheading of Louis XVI, the French entered the Reign of Terror. Being that there was no peace and the demands of the Declaration were still unmet, the French people at a very vulnerable state. Comtesse de Remusat proposed the very plausible theory that the French people only allowed Napoleon to rise to power because of their weakness. The idea of a republic caused fear in the people and they needed some sort of leader to take control and help France (Rogers, 2011). The sole reason for a revolution was to bring equality to all and the French still had not found that