Was the French Revolution Successful?

Many historians credit the French Revolution as being the beginning of modern politics. The revolution single-handedly crushed the monarchical way of politics, the aristocratic domination up to that point in France, and the dominance of the church in French politics. The revolution abolished the feudal system and was one of the biggest steps towards modernity throughout history. The French Revolution was a successful endeavour on the part of the French people because it reformed social tradition and the hierarchy of French aristocracy by making all men equal, the Enlightenment ideals which the revolution was based on came through to a great extent.

Before the French Revolution, France was a feudal kingdom. Louis XVI ruled the land, and lords ruled certain manors throughout the kingdom. This meant that peasants, as well as nobles, were born into their respective situations, and could not change who they were and what rank in society they lived in. One of the goals of the revolution was to change this. Throughout the revolution, many important documents were made to change the world in which the French people lived. On August 11th, 1789, the National Assembly made The Decree Abolishing the Feudal System. This document showed a thaw that was evident in France in terms of social standing. Whereas before the aristocracy had dominated the country, now stood the bourgeoisie and, later, the sans-culottes.

For better or worse, France became one the first major European countries to make all people equal in the eyes of the government. This is one of the greatest progressions of social standing in the history of the world, one which is now basic thought. The fact that this was accomplished and continued to be accomplished throughout France’s history is a major accomplishment and in itself makes the revolution successful. This showed huge progress in not only the standing of citizens in France, but it also showed a concern for individual rights. This progression of society started that chain of events, and was clearly the start of modern thinking as to individual rights and rights of citizens. In this way, the French Revolution was extremely successful.

The French Revolution was based on an assortment of Enlightenment ideals. French philosophers, including Voltaire and Rousseau led the revolution leading up to the revolution, so to speak, coming up with progressive ideals as to government, social structure, and the nature of people. Indeed, the ideals which the revolution was fought in the name of progressed throughout France and, eventually, Europe. Though the revolution took wrong turns along the way, the ideals which it was based on never wavered. Even during the heart of his Reign of Terror, Robespierre spoke of a state where each citizen wants to do good by his country. This shows Robespierre with an unwavering commitment to the state, an ideal which came out of the Enlightenment. Though he may have carried out his beliefs in a gruesome and perhaps wrong way, his ideals were the same as the Enlightenment philosophers: make the state better for all to live in.

After Robespierre and the Directory, Napoleon came to power. Though he is criticized for being a militaristic dictator, Napoleon was able to spread Enlightenment ideals,