West European Studies

The most significant aspect of the French Revolution was the brutality that characterized the Reign of Terror. The aim of the terror was to punish and eliminate the enemies who were considered to be against the revolution. The use of terror as a tool against political enemies, however, suspended the progression of the revolution. However, the use of terror was deliberated and rationalized by the patriots. Whatever the motive of the revolution, the use of terror as a political weapon is generally considered immoral and unethical.  

Power of Terror as a Political Weapon during the French Revolution
The period of the French Revolution is one of the most difficult times in the history of France. It is the namely this time that unleashed the Reign of Terror. However, the form of terror used in the French Revolution was very different from the terror in the modern world. During this period, terror was used as a political tool and was used to force particular political opinion among the people. Thousands of people lost their lives, executed by those who sought political power. The terror in the French Revolution cannot be, however, mentioned without recalling the name of Maximilien Robespierre. This person played a major role in the execution of individuals who opposed the revolutionary move and sent them to the guillotines. However, he later became a victim of the system he had established and he was also executed by the guillotine.

Although the French Revolution was a major event toward the European civilization, it was not successful. Compared to the American Revolution, the French Revolution had less positive impact in the world. In the American Revolution, a lesser number of people were murdered since terror was not applied as a tool to acquire the political power or impose political ideologies upon people. The French Revolution turned up against itself where those who created the Reign of Terror were murdered the same way they used to murder their opponents. The revolutionists started by beheading the loyalists who were followed by the moderate Girondists. When the moderate Girondists started being beheaded, every body started fearing that they will also face the guillotine.    

In 1993, the convection reached a consensus that terror is the order of the day. The government had formed a revolutionary army just few days before Consensus was reached which was to be used to force the people to obey the laws which included the law of the maximum. However, not all the people were contented with the decision of the convection. A considerable group of citizen of Paris requested to present their petition to the convection in support for the government to put in mechanisms to force the citizens to obey the laws. They chose Chaumatte to be their spokes person. They proposed that the problem facing Paris needed to be dealt with at the time because they were tired of the uncertainty. The town had new lords who were as cruel and greedy though not more as those they had replaced. The new lords had acquired the properties owned by former lords and behaved just as the former masters did. They were involved in crime, making profits while the public was suffering and oppressed the poor majority in Paris. The old lords had left but new greedy lords had taken over Paris while there were laws to protect the citizens from such exploitation.

The citizens went ahead to praise the convection for passing laws that protects them by promising happiness. However, the implementation of these laws was lacking. It was unimaginable for the citizen to propose terror as a way of forcing people to follow the law and protecting it from becoming absolute. The need to deal with the enemy within the state and outside the state necessitated the birth of a reign of terror. The public blamed the increase in conspiracies, betrayals and crimes in the town on the lack of power to enforce the law. Justice did not exist while the convection had power to restore the rule of law in the land by enforcing law and order. The public then demanded for the formation of a revolutionary army to make the laws strong and punish the traitors. They proposed that all men who wanted a united republic to be members of the army and the army be backed up by a tribunal that is both frightening and incorruptible. Both the army and the tribunal would seek to fight oppression, those who starve the people and the tyrant and restore justice and peace to all citizens of good will.

By using the citizens, the convection agreed to terrorize those whom they believed did not follow their laws. They made plans to eliminate all miraculous people from their society and the public agreed to redirect their energies in exterminating any one they thought was an enemy of the revolution. The citizen applauded when Billaund Varenne decreed that there was no need for more deliberation and they should start acting right away by arresting and terrorizing the enemies. The convection declared that they would not care what the results of taking full measures in the revolution world cost. The belief in the weapon of terror against politics was evident among the people and was the only way to enforce law and order and bring happiness to the people. The public was ready to assist the convection in enforcing the law and did not care the price it could cost them by using terror as a political weapon. The statement by the citizens of Paris indicated that the spirit of revolution was still alive among the French. However, such decisions required the public and the connectionists to be very courageous and hope that their decisions will not be used against them. According to Danton, their decision was a clear message to the enemies of the nation that they were ready to face them. An order to produce more weapons and provide them to the true patriots who accepted to be members of the revolutionary army was given. This led to the creation of the reign of terror. It was also suggested that the gun be sacred and the revolutionary army men would rather lose their lives than be without their guns.  

The law of suspect was created in the 17th day of September 1793 authorizing the formation of a revolutionary court to try treason suspects. The main mandate of this judicial system was to maintain order and help in the identification of enemies within and removing them from among the citizens. The decree required the detention of all suspects especially those who proved to be tyrants and against liberty. Those who were not certified as patriots or were not justified by the 21st match decree were seen as suspects. The formal civil servants and nobles together with their families and immigrants were all considered politically unfriendly and were subject to trial by the revolutionary tribunal.

However by the end of the year 1793, the use of terror as a political weapon seemed to be heading to failure due to the conspiracies within the republic. There were many traitors within the political class where some of the politicians proposed that the revolution should be accelerated while others believed that it required some moderation. There was a possibility of the republic being brought down by some greedy elements among the political leaders. Camille Desmoulins who was a strong ally of Dalton for instance warned over the possibility of an enemy within misusing the terror policy to ruin the republic. He sought to clarify to the loyalist that a republic is very different from a monarchy since it has an opportunity of improving itself which is not possible with a monarchy. He proposed that since France was a republic and not a monarchy, the patriots would use this fact to attack the loyalist. He made the loyalist aware that the patriots had the ability to use terror and cause misery to the loyalist and bring happiness to the people. He referred to historical happening where the people had died to free their people. He threatened those who sympathized with the tyrants that they will face the same wrath of the patriots while referring to historical war where violence was used to force people to obey the laws. He declared that the patriots were not ready to make any mistakes in liberating France and their weapons were ready against the loyalists.

The greatest political immorality however comes from Robespierre on his speech on February 1794 where he tried to justify the use of terror as a political weapon. He portrayed that he was a blood thirsty fellow and he is considered to have been responsible for all the terror. However, some historians have argued on the character of this leader where some feel he was an ideal revolutionist. He was a superb character who understood his people and used the French patriots sentiment to justify terror and push his personal interests forward. For example, who compares terror with virtues and argued that virtue without terror is powerless. He also describes murder and violence as swift and resolute justice. However, he later became the victim of the system he himself had developed. Moreover, from his speech, he knew that terror was wrong although he was justifying murder. He warns the patriots that they should not expect any protection but they themselves should protect the republic. He justified the terror by concluding that legal proceeding would create conspiracies against the republic which is being killed by the tyrants and therefore should also be killed.

The use of terror as a political weapon in the French Revolution was deliberated at length before the decision was made. The convection decided to use violence to force their decree among the people which was supported by the patriots. Moreover, different individuals supported the idea where they tried to justify terror against political enemies. Nevertheless, whatever the motives, the use of terror to force political ideology to the people is morally wrong.