Positive Effects Of The French And Industrial Revolution

The French and Industrial Revolution are considered to be the catalysts that lead to the west becoming modernized. The French Revolution, which happened from 1789 to the late 1790s, was the battle of reactionaries and radicals (Pavlac 254). King Louis XVI when given the throne was too young and inexperienced to make the necessary reforms that France needed. He was unable to solve the debt caused by the previous kings, and therefore made the French people angry. Influenced by the American Revolution and the Enlightenment, the people of France began to revolt (Pavlac 253). Ultimately, the King and his wife were both killed. The Revolution was a result of politics. There were two groups, those who embraced change and those who were against change. Those who supported change became known as radicals, and those against were reactionaries (Pavlac 254). After the execution of the king, the French went to war with other European nations. This lead the government of France to become much more radical, and introduced the Reign of Terror. The Reign of Terror was a 10 month period in which anyone suspected of being against the revolution were executed (Pavlac 255). After this intense period, a new constitution was put in place called the Directory (Pavlac …show more content…
The Industrial Revolution, even though brutal towards its workers at first, allowed for the avocations of socialist for regulations to factories. This allowed for a better working environment for the middle class. In addition to this, the Industrial Revolution brought about a new economic system, capitalism. Of course this also brought those against capitalism and the Industrial Revolution, like Karl Marx and the Romantics. Despite those opposed, the introduction of the French Revolution and Industrial Revolution brought about new technologies, politics, and idealisms, which lead to a modernized