France, Alternative Libertaire AL #237 - 1794: The Terror against the people's revolution (fr, pt)

In spring 1794, when the young French republic is threatened by revolution against the 
Committee of Public salvation which holds most of the power in September 1793 highlights 
the repression of popular movements to methodically get rid of all radical political 
currents who had supported him. This initially desired by the popular classes to slaughter 
against Terror-revolutionary regime, turns against them. ---- Since August 10, 1792, what 
started as a limited bourgeois revolution, with the aim to establish a constitutional 
monarchy, was packed. Insurrectionary day shade the monarchy and set up the Republic. A 
new Constituent Assembly, the Convention elected in the month of September 1792. In a 
difficult economic and political context, while a good part of the French territory rises 
against the Republic after the execution of Louis XVI January 21, 1793, and most European 
countries attacked France, the people of Paris decides impose its claims, and to influence 
those in power, or taking it.

Sans-culotte and bourgeois

Urban workers, combined with the radical bourgeoisie, are appointed sans-culottes, 
referring to the fact that they wore trousers, a symbol of poverty. They are mostly found 
in Paris, but are also active in other major cities. Most are workers or self-employed and 
have been very involved in the revolution since its inception. In Paris, they are 
organized through the insurrectionary Commune of Paris and its sections, which are popular 
assemblies base [ 1 ]. Their main demands are the direct government, that is to say a form 
of direct democracy, and equal enjoyment, that is to say for all ability to have access to 
the same goods.

But the movement of the sans-culottes is crossed by various political currents more or 
less organized (Enraged, Hebertists for more radical). To make their voices heard in the 
institutions, the sans-culottes Jacobins rely on their allies, who dominate the Convention 
in June 1793. This trend through various Jacobin clubs, has a very strong territorial 
coverage. Most Jacobins from the petty bourgeoisie (merchants, judges, craftsmen...). 
Without being in favor of redistributive measures, they represent the radical wing of the 
bourgeoisie. This alliance of the radical wing is done in the context of a major food 
crisis. Poor harvests, war and supply problems are that the famine is not very far, and 
the prices achieved by the bread in the city can be very high. Faced with this situation, 
Claims sans-culotte is the maximum, that is to say the fixing maximum prices for basic 
necessities. Grain merchants, and traders do not hear it that way.

Between the subsistence crisis, uprisings against the Republic, including Vendee, and the 
advancing enemy armies, the revolution seems very threatened. Inside the revolutionary 
camp, a pitiless struggle pits the Girondins, who represent the liberal bourgeoisie, the 
radicals.

Save the revolution

Girondins open hostilities by trying to purge radicals. April 15, 1793 they involve Marat, 
accusing him of complicity with foreign countries. Following a petition threatening 35 
sections of Paris and a strong popular pressure, it is relaxed. The petition of the 
sans-culottes, supported by the Jacobins, in addition to defending Marat, accused 22 
Girondin deputies who are the leaders of this movement. On May 24, a committee of 
political repression of the Convention (Committee 12) wants full file activists of the 
municipality of Paris, asking them to bring their records. In addition, Hebert and Varlet, 
radical activists are imprisoned. In Lyon, the Girondins suppress the movement 
sans-culotte and are guillotined Chalier, current Enrag?s July 10, 1793.

Facing the beginning of state repression, radical revolutionaries organized. May 31, held 
the first day of the uprising. Parisian sections, arms, surround the Convention and 
requested the arrest of 22, and the Committee 12. Result of bureaucratic maneuvering, the 
measure is not applied promised. On June 2, a new insurgency manages to stop or leakage 
members in question. The danger seems Gironde spread to Paris, but the losses accumulate 
at the border, while the royalist insurrections and Gironde concern large parts of the 
territory. To this is added the problem of subsistence crisis. Although the maximum was 
voted on May 4, speculation continues on the bread and famine does not improve. Pound of 
bread (500g) costs still expensive: the price is often higher than the daily wage of a 
worker [ 2 ]. To this is added the assassination of Marat by Charlotte Corday, partisan 
Girondins, July 13, 1793, which has a huge impact.

Throughout the summer of 1793, the agitation of the sans-culotte was at its height: 
meetings, petitions, requisitions, riots, looting. Indeed, for the most radical 
revolutionary Jacobins, as sans-culottes, the solution is to hit the enemies with energy 
of the Revolution, they are royalists, Girondins or speculators.

Terror against the revolution

September 5, 1793, a new day insurgency led by the more radical elements, intended to 
impose Terror State. This miracle solution for the insurgents would kill or terrorize the 
enemies of the revolution, the foremost among speculators. Terror decreed that day by the 
Convention is implemented progressively through various measures that empower the 
committee of public salvation, initially to oversee the work of the ministers. The Terror 
has long been interpreted by some historians [ 3 ] as the height of the revolution, 
demonstrating necessarily bloodthirsty and cruel character of any revolutionary process, 
and especially the action of the people. But back to the state the power to suppress and 
kill discretion to save the revolution, mainly allows the revolution devouring its own 
children, at the same time that the real enemies of the Revolution, too cruelly repressed.

Terror also allows to postpone sine die the most democratic implementation of the new 
constitution, which was drafted by France. This particular constitution provides 
citizenship for all foreigners residing in France a year, the introduction of economic and 
social rights (association, meeting, work, support and education) or the organization of 
citizens in primary assemblies loaded by canton of accept or reject laws prepared by members.

The Committees of Public salvation and the Committee of General implementing Terror 
safety, headed by Robespierre and his allies, all prominent figures of the Jacobin Club. 
On 17 September, the Law of Suspects was passed. It puts in place the foundations of 
Terror must be imprisoned all those who are suspected of conducting against-revolutionary 
activities, but also those suspected of opposing the spread revolutionary ideals opinions. 
In fact, some liberties were suspended "until the peace."

There are two types of Terror. Departments in war, opponents are often aristocrats and 
Girondins summarily executed and the revolutionary army, responsible for repression, hits 
hard. In Paris, the Revolutionary Tribunal, whose numbers have been strengthened, which 
leads arrests and executions (more than 4000 between the passing of the Law of Suspects 
and the end of the Terror in July 1794).

The Jacobins commands

Terror falls on real or perceived against revolutionaries, many of whom have fled the 
capital, but not only. The Girondins and the rest of the constitutional monarchists were 
guillotined in the autumn of 1793, as Marie-Antoinette. Terror button quickly across the 
political staff of the Revolution. Factional struggles are settled by guillotine. Affected 
first, in September 1793 are the most radical faction, that enrages. Their associations 
are dissolved, and the most prominent driven from Paris or imprisoned activists. October 
30, 1793, the Convention closed the clubs revolutionary women.

From spring 1794 the radical currents are systematically repressed. The Hebertists, which 
took up the torch Enrag?s are executed in March 1794 for plotting against the committees 
and tried to lead an insurrection day. It is then the group Indulgents whose figurehead is 
Danton, and members of the Mountain that are the target of the Terror. They are accused of 
corruption and collusion with foreign countries. Eight days after the Hebertists 
parliamentary struggle between this current and Robespierre concludes by their conduct to 
the scaffold.

Once all political factions removed, the Terror still experiencing a boost. From 22 
grassland (10 June), the Jacobins now without serious opposition, began a "great terror". 
A new law also facilitates the action of the Revolutionary Court, removing interrogations, 
lawyers or witnesses suspicious. In Paris, the pace of executions increases again. The 
Great Terror ends in the month of Thermidor. Following disagreements between the 
committees of public salvation and general safety, it is Robespierrists which are in turn 
challenged as they try yet another purge of parliament. 8 and 9 Thermidor (July 26-27), 
they are the target of a state, arrested and executed once, despite an attempted 
insurrection of what remains of the movement of the sans-culottes.

The Revolution defeated by its advocates

After Thermidor, it's the end of the revolution as such. Bodies sans-culottes were 
decapitated, and the radical revolutionary fractions were decimated. Time is the 
Thermidorian reaction to so-called "red" Terror succeeds "white" Terror, historians right 
to terminate naturally forget. The sans-culottes, the Jacobins, the revolutionaries 
convinced the Highlanders are ruthlessly hunted down and beaten or even killed.

The latest attempts to mobilize the sans-culotte movement are militarily liquidated: May 
20, 1795, sections of the Faubourg Saint-Antoine and Saint-Marceau invade the Convention 
to demand the return of the maximum and the application of the Constitution of 1793, but 
the insurrection was suppressed in 2 days by General Menou. The National Guard is purified 
to retain only wealthy bourgeois. In 1796, the conspiracy of the Equals, who was trying to 
reorganize the secret survivors of all radical factions, was dismantled and condemned [ 4 
]. The French Revolution is then finished. No more than a bourgeois republic shopkeepers, 
liquidated without prestige by Napoleon during the coup of 18 Brumaire (9 November 1799).

Demand, more and more repressive state violence to advance the revolution led 
paradoxically to create a machine to suppress political opponents quickly become the enemy 
of the most revolutionary elements. Faction holding that arbitrary power has naturally 
chosen to keep to maintain its dominant position. It is sometimes necessary in situations 
of conflict to take special measures, delegate to the State discretion of repression, is 
still extremely dangerous.

Matthijs (AL Montpellier)

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WORDS OF THE REVOLUTION

The common insurgency and sections of Paris: The insurrectionary Commune of Paris is one 
of the forms of self-organization of the sans-culottes. It is divided into sections, which 
are assembled base. They are the source of most days insurgency.

Convention: Assembly follows the legislative with the proclamation of the Republic August 
10, 1792. This period is characterized by its radical and the important role played by the 
masses (sans-culottes, peasantry). His best-known figures are Robespierre, Danton and Marat.

Girondins: parliamentary political faction which represents the big bourgeoisie. It is 
against the measures and maximum all equal measures. It is a decentralized form of 
federation. She was expelled from Parliament at the end of the day insurrection of 2 June 
1793.

Montagnards: This term refers to all of the most radical revolutionaries to the present 
Convention. They owe their name to the fact that they are grouped at the top of the steps 
of the Assembly.

Jacobins Club policy whose most prominent members are Robespierre and Saint-Just. He 
played a leading role during the period of the Convention. Although in favor of private 
property, the Jacobins, fierce centralist, ally themselves with the sans-culottes.

Hebert: The Hebertists are a faction grouped around the personality of Jacques-Rene Hebert 
and his newspaper Le P?re Duchesne. This stream is one of the most radical, and they 
frequently positioned for the challenge to private property. Their reputation is 
nevertheless quite quickly tarnished by accusations of corruption are, it would seem 
justified.

Rabid: extra-parliamentary political faction that leads her agitation in sections of 
Commons. The Enraged hold expropriatory positions and in favor of popular sovereignty. 
They are eliminated by the Jacobins during the summer of 1793.

Maximum: Claim against famine. It is to impose a maximum price for merchant commodities by 
terror if necessary. This is one of the main demands of the sans-culottes.


[ 1 ] See "The first insurrectionary Paris Commune" in AL No. 179 of December 2008.

[ 2 ] If it is transposed to the present, it would would mean that the loaf of bread cost 
25 euros.

[ 3 ] Fran?ois Furet, Thinking French revolution , Gallimard, 1978

[ 4 ] See "In 1797 Babeuf, first communist revolutionary? "AL # 163 in June 2007.