The impact of the French Revolution on the European system
The impact of the French Revolution on the European
system?
France always played an important role in the life of Europe.
It was told that to understand Europe you have to know France. The story of Europe
is the story of France. Everything France took part in is a part of life of
different European countries.
The impact of French Revolution on Europe is so huge, that it
made its impact on the whole XIX century. It made its step to kindness with the
help of the clever ideas, freedom and equality. It brought light in the ideas
of many countries and horrified some of them. Socialism of the XIX century was
also the idea of French Revolution, it also was a reaction to French
Revolution, and the reaction against that France did not make its promises:
liberty and equality. The reaction on French Revolution was indifferent. The
actions happening in France showed that revolution itself brings anarchy and
terror. The struggle of people for better life, for liberty and fairness brings
to repression, terror, vandalism and death.
To talk about impact of one action, happening to one nation
on the life of others and their history is not easy, even though it is such a
great event as revolution. French Revolution for a long time made impact on
Europe with its ideas and became the reason to some actions of the people for a
century. That is why, to talk about the impact of the revolution is to talk how
the ideas of the release from the non-governmental states were brought from one
nation to another. That is how ideas of the rebel and the struggle against old
reforms emerged on all the countries. The attempt to make the changes in the
history awakes people for active deeds. Revolution itself gardens and protects.
It points how dangerous it is for any form of government the combination the
masses of people who are against something, because they are not under control,
how revolution is unpredictable and how it can turn for many into the crush of
hopes and destinies.
“French Revolution was very complex event which raises so
many different and contradictory assessments. Many different groups of people
of various public movements, different classes have tried to find a better life
for themselves and their own way to resolve issues of justice and freedom
through revolution. Tremendous passion of people to free themselves from the
oppression of the rich, from the injustice cannot not to evoke sympathy. How to
make all of them free, happy and prosperous? Even Rousseau, Helvetius, Mably,
Diderot, and others consider an inequality of states and the accumulation of
wealth in the hands of a few people the major obstacle to the establishment of
democratic freedom. And in the years of revolution, these attitudes began to
speak with greater force. Many of the Revolutionists maintained that equality
of political rights is nothing, if not right in practice. The latter, said
Condorcet, represents "the latest target of public art", since the
inequality of wealth, inequality of states and inequality of education - the
main premise of all evil. A very common formula the first years of the
revolution: "Big states represent an obstacle to freedom." In large
cities, people in the needs of life itself first appeared communist ideas.
Chief among them: the distribution of means of subsistence and the general
membership on the ground, as well as the right to education for all. It was
assumed, along with the right of all the products and the products of the first
and second necessity, as a personal right to surplus” (Karlyle, 2002).
This topic will help to understand, what revolution is, how
it appears, how it is important for the other countries: what kind of
philosophical, economical and social ideas it brought to the humanity what is
its role in the history.
In every state there are people who are not happy with their
lives. Revolution appears when the masses of people, who are not happy with
laws, government and their lives, come together. Revolution means to connect
different classes of people. They all have different aims, different interests,
but there is one will - is to get rid of life they live at the moment. The
rebel against existing laws is the connector of all the revolutions.
There were two massive flows in France, which prepare and
made revolution. Bourgeoisie, which had its own views on the government, and
proletariat, which were aiming for better life. When two of these flows came
together, in the beginning, with one aim, and then helped each other, the
revolution started.
“The governor should be only the emblem on national unity,
alleging the will of Parliament, and from time to time holding the balance
between the parties. The real power is bound to be elected and remain in the
hands of Parliament, in which the educated bourgeoisie, representing an active
and thoughtful part of the nation, would have predominated over all the
estates. In this case the Government must enrich individuals and the
accumulation of huge wealth. Many believed that the enrichment of individuals
is the way to enrich people. The economic desires of that time could reflect
the notion of “freedom of industry and trade, suggesting the presence of a
large mass of workers, due to release farmers from feudal dependence and the
removal of state intervention that hider businessman.
According to the aspirations, knowledge and skills in
political affairs, by its own conscience and consistency, bourgeoisie, of
course was superior to ordinary folk, who did not create a public and economic
ideal, although the great ideas of freedom and equality came to the darkest
corners of the country. Although in the minds of a light had flashed
indignation and rebellion, and hope to close the change forced the heart beat
even the most downtrodden people, the ideas of national liberation and economic
changes were manifested in the people only in the form of a usual denial and
vague desire for something. Many favourites thought: "Why tell people how
future will pan out? This is just cool revolutionary fervour. Let people have
the strength to attack the old institutions, and we'll see how to live".
This lack of people clear idea of what to expect from the Revolution, led then
to a variety of collisions and led to anarchy and spontaneity” (Gentz, 2002).
“French Revolution had a great impact on European nations and
inspired mostly all of the countries, which took part in the events of
revolution beginning in Europe in the XIX century. Repressions started to take
part in England since 1892. Dissatisfaction of the government was rising in
England, there were more speeches of poor people and massive discomposure of
the sailors. The government answered with arrests, executing of the people
taking part in rebellion, jails and banding of any democratic communities and
working nations.
Ireland, still being the colony of England, saw help in
French Revolution. The democratic flow was started. All the enemies of England
were drawn together in the head of bourgeoisie revolutionists. They wanted to
create independent Irish republic. They were preparing uprising, relying on the
help of France.
French Revolution also had an impact on the appearing the
entire political events in the European countries. There, as well as in France,
the revolutionary actions started. First of all they have started in Belgium.
And as the result Belgium became a part of France in 1795. It had lost its
sovereignty and its economy was under control of French bourgeoisie” (Davies,
1996).
“There were changes also in the political life o Switzerland.
French Revolution brought to the democratic actions in Switzerland. After
French troops were on the territory of Switzerland there was a new constitution
made, which broke old public relations and new bourgeoisie laws appeared.
Germany also became a country French Revolution had a great
impact on. German bourgeoisie was too weak in economic sense and not developed
to overcome the division of their country and become the head of its
government.
In Italy, the idea o French Revolution also found many
followers. In the middle of them, Philippe Buonarroti, who has moved to France
during the Revolution. He was closely connected with many figures of Italian
democracy, which relied on France in restoring the unity of Italy. Despite the
fact that in the end of Bonaparte’s campaign, there were serious territorial
and political configurations, neither the director, nor Bonaparte did not
support the Italian Democrats to create a unified Italian republic. The French
intervention had an aggressive character. All this led to a creation of a
secret revolutionary society in Piedmont, directed against monarchy and against
French. The uprising, organised by this society was brutally crushed by French
troops. In the end, when the second coalition against French was formed, French
Army could no longer rely on Italian folk. After French troops left Italy, the
old order was restored”(Alison,2009).
Indeed, the revolution has led to enormous political,
economic and educational reforms in the country and in Europe. The economic
recovery in France let her make more than 20 years of war. Within four years of
the revolution, France was transformed. France became the state of wealthy
farmers with high productivity. Nation has refreshed. This manifested in the
obsession with political affairs and in the independence of judgments. The
revolution in the country has managed to preserve the land confiscated from the
nobility and the church, to keep freedom, reclaimed from the Monarchy. Even
after coming to power of the Bourbons the old order was restored.
In the history of people comes time which brings significant
change in the whole system of their life. And then it seems likely two ways:
reform or revolution. Sometimes there is one moment when reformation is still
possible, but if this moment is not used by the rulers of the country,
therefore the revolution begins.
During the work I often wondered, why the French Revolution,
all, irrespective of how it estimated, was called the Great?
And now, I think I know the answer. The revolution, of
course, did not start itself. People got tired to live the way they lived.
Everyone wanted changes. Nearby were the greatest scientists, philosophers, who
gave the people of the great ideas of rebuilding lives. Economists, public
figures, the bourgeoisie - all thought about society, the welfare of the
nation, the prosperity of their people. This led to capitalism and
individualism, the enrichment of individuals, the impoverishment of the rest.
Welfare society, still did not work. But it was such a bright dream of mankind,
such a global project! Already engaging in a revolution, people have seen the
blood and pillage, the deception, all of human baseness. The world was a great
disappointment in the idea of man! And I think that there were many moral views
understood. The fact is when people destroy something, they destroy themselves.
That is not realistic to achieve happiness of the nation, destroying part of
it. And the choice is all the same - to fight or all suffer and forgive?