Is the revolution all over? From the French Revolution

 

History can show the French government revolution that arose in 1789 against the rule of King Louis XVI as the most important milestone in the journey of humanity seeking basic human rights. In the 18th century, the power of the French monarchy was unlimited, and the legislative, executive, and judicial powers of the time were centered around the king. Apart from the nobles, 92% of the country's population consisted of agricultural workers and 6% of the clergy. The nobility and clergy enjoyed unlimited privileges. The nobles who had been freed from the burden of taxes settled down in their slums and enjoyed themselves.

The burden of taxes had fallen on the peasants. He even paid the government unnecessary taxes like salt and land taxes. Apart from that, the priest also had to pay a tax called a tithe. The peasants who lived in aristocratic slums were also obliged to pay taxes on their behalf. They paid 50% of their earnings to the king and 30% to the nobles. At the end of the declining feudal era, the middle class that emerged as a result of the development of trade and industry grew rapidly in wealth and power. Out of these emerged doctors, businessmen, lawyers, writers, thinkers, and theologians who opposed the existing regime. The existing system of government led to a large-scale disaster and created a state of unrest among the people. Although the peasants failed to stand up against the royal family, the middle class supported them. Thus, the frustration that existed in the social sections belonging to all levels of the French society greatly affected the French Revolution.

The ideas of thinkers such as Montague (1689 - 1755), Voltaire (1694 - 1778), and Rousseau (1712 - 1778) also strongly influenced it. Montescala, who criticized the dictatorial monarchies that existed at that time, presented the theory of division. Voltaire, who was against privileged classes, gave the idea that 'let others enjoy the privileges you enjoy. Rousseau strongly rejected the idea that 'the king receives all powers from God'. The French Revolution began in 1789 under the leadership of Robespierre. The revolutionaries first broke the Bastille prison, imprisoned King Louis XVI and the royal family, including Queen Antoinette, and then committed them to the guillotine. They set up the People's Defense Committee with their main motto of freedom, equality, and fraternity.

At this point, the grip of the tragedy began to slip away from wisdom. After the overthrow of the monarchy, the political elite began to covet the regime. Although there were many honest people among the revolutionaries, its power slowly fell into the hands of the aforementioned evil, power-hungry people, who killed those who stood in their way. Aristocrats were executed by the guillotine by the thousands. Many of them were killed for the sin of being born into a noble family. They ushered in an era of fear. Because of their limited bloodshed, European countries including Great Britain later rejected the sympathy they initially showed them.