Robespierre And The French Revolution - 950 Words

Maximilien Robespierre is undoubtedly one of the most influential figures of the French Revolution. He assumed a leadership role during this movement, so when the French Revolution took a dark turn, Robespierre was deemed responsible for this change. Although some believe he took necessary progressive action to go fourth with the revolution, he enacted a number of principles that appropriated mass murders of counter- revolutionaries. Though Robespierre was heavily inspired by Enlightenment philosophy and government documents, he had a predilection to distort the core principles by interpreting them very literally while applying them to his own pursuits. Therefore, the promotion of cruelty, violence, and terror was justified, as it was†¦show more content†¦During the September Massacres of 1792, Stanley Loomis, historian and author of Paris in Terror, comments: ...The frenzy of crazed and drunken murderers appears to have reached its highest pitch at La Force. Cannibalism, disembowelment and acts of indescribable ferocity took place here..., [the Princesse de Lamballe] was dispatched with a pike thrust, her still beating heart was ripped from her body and devoured, her legs and arms were severed from her body and shot through a cannon. (Looms, quoted by Kekes, 2) At this point, Rousseaus advocation of crime is lost. The brutal and savage-like nature of the French citizens is unnecessary. It does not promote the progression of the revolution, but actually proves that the French citizens are unworthy of democracy. These tendencies imply that when there are conflicting views, people will treat each other with barbaric violence; civil war may erupt with indecisions regarding important policies. Robespierre could have gone about this in a more organized fashion by singling out the counter-revolutionaries, asking them to surrender to the cause, and then privately killing them if they refuse. The French Constitution of 1793 ratified Robespierre’s actions, as its general articles were easily twisted to permit violence. Specifically, Articles 1 and 4 may have been of most interest to Robespierre, as they repeat that the rights of man come before all else.Show MoreRelatedMaximilien Robespierre, Leader of the French Revolution1442 Words   |   6 Pagesâ€Å"Europe cannot conceive of life without Kings and nobles; and we cannot conceive of it with them. Europe is lavishing her blood to preserve her chains, whereas we are lavishing ours to destroy them†(Maximilien Robespierre). For centuries upon centuries, the monarchal system had dominated European life. The very nature of this method of rule incited rebellious feelings, as a definite imbalance of power was present. Understandably, people under this system had risen against authority. The gloriousRead MoreRobespierre, The French Revolution And The Symbol Of Evil Essay2033 Words   |  9 Pagesenemies while alive. Maximilien Robespierre, who is often regarded as the leading figure of the French Revolution and the symbol of violent excess during that period, was one such person. Although the view of Robespierre within the historical community has softened (to a certain degree), he remains a personification of evil in the public mind. For example, the first resul t of a quick Google search for â€Å"most evil people† includes a list of 25 historical figures, with Robespierre at no. 17, ahead of othersRead MoreEssay on Use of Terror in the French Revolution 1108 Words   |  5 Pageslater in 1792, Maximilian Robespierre, the radical leader of the Jacobin party and the Committee of Public Safety, took control of France and executed king Louis XVI. Robespierre had a vision of a new France where everyone was equal. In order to reach his goal of completely reconstructing France, Robespierre unleashed a campaign of terror. Terror was used to enforce his revolutionary ideas, but the radicalization eventually lead to the downfall of Maximilian Robespierre and the Committee of PublicRead More Maximillien Robespierre Essay1722 Words   |  7 PagesMaximillien Robespierre   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Maximillien Robespierre is commonly viewed as the symbol of the Reign of Terror, the short period in which thousands of people were executed because they were thought to be traitors. However, Maximillien was actually an idealistic reformer with an image of peace and equality driving him on, who is unfairly credited with the Terror, and assumed to be a power-hungry tyrant.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Maximillien was able to attend a prominent educational institution. He became an intelligentRead MoreLife of Maxamillian Robespierre979 Words   |  4 PagesMaximilien Robespierre declared at the trial of King Louis XVI. â€Å"The King must die so that the nation can live.† Robespierre advocated the kings demise and with it the ways of the Ancien Rà ©gime. However, in an ironic twist of fate his words also foreshadowed his own rise and fall as the leader of the French Revolution. Known as â€Å"The Incorruptible†, or alternately â€Å"Dictateur Sanguinaire† Robespierre is a monumental figure of the French Revolution, but which was he? Was he the incorruptible revolutionistRead MoreRobespierre and the Reign of Terror1544 Words   |  7 PagesTerror.[Footnote] Throughout the French revolution, specifically the eleven month, 1793-1794 Reign of Terror, revolutionary leaders, such as Maximilien Robespierre believed in enforcing fear to resolv e the instability of France. â€Å"Terror is nothing else than swift, severe, indomitable justice; it flows, then, from virtue†-Maximilien Robespierre.[Footnote] This period in history signified great atrocities of massacres, and a time where fear was evoked within every French civilian. The National ConventionRead More Joseph Stalin vs. Maximilien Robespierre Essays510 Words   |  3 Pages Robespierre is known as possibly the greatest leader of the French Revolution. Stalin is known as one of Russia’s greatest leaders. There are many differences and similarities in each of their reigns as leaders. Both used economic plans and total war effort as a campaign to further there revolution. Stalin and Robespierre used their revolutions, however, through terror Stalin remained true to his revolution but Robespierre betrayed his. nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;Stalin had an ingenious planRead MoreTerror Dominates Our Perceptions Of The French Revolution1132 Words   |  5 PagesTerror dominates our perceptions of the french Revolution. Terror was a brief but deadly period where Robespierre, the Committee of Public Safety and the Revolutionary Tribunals, condemned thousands of people to die on the guillotine. The Reign of Terror was not driven by one man, one body,or one policy; It was shape by different forces and factors. The Reign of Terror was certainly the most violent period of the French Revolution. Between the years of 1793 and 1794 more than 50,000 people wereRead More Maximilien Robespierre of France is One of the Worlds Greatest Leaders1119 Words   |  4 Pagesmean they’re good. Maximilien Robespierre was one of the leaders of France that had a firm grip over the whole country as head of the Committee of Public Safety. Even though Maximilien Robespierre, a philosophical leader during the French Revolution, had many good leadership qualities at first, due to his advancement in authority he became power crazy and started turning on his own colleagues and the people of France. People know Robespierre’s role in the French Revolution, but do they know about hisRead MoreRobespierre: Hero or Villain?744 Words   |  3 PagesMaximilien Robespierre has always been known to be controversial and misunderstood. He was the face of the French Revolution. In accordance with the Jacobins, they controlled the time known as the Reign of Terror, due to their influence in the accumulation of murders of those opposed to the revolution. Reign of Terror was a symbolic time period within the French Revolution that involved corruption of power and influence and mass executions. With Robespierre at the forefront, he became one of the