The Reign of Terror: Was it Justified?
Should an individual be put to death because of an opinion about society? Subpar conditions in France caused Maximilien Robespierre, the leader of the radical phase of the French Revolution, to enact the “Reign of Terror”, which was an extremely violent response to the reign of Louis XVI by the revolutionary government. During this period of two years, the Guillotine, or “National Razor” dropped a heavy blade on the necks of thousands of people who were unjustly tried and condemned to death. The actions of the revolutionary government during the Reign of Terror in France were not justified. The internal and external threats that France was facing at the time did not warrant the brutal and violent methodology …show more content…
Not only did this attack on christianity betray the ideals that would have made it justified, but it also caused an undermining of an entire religion that many people followed. Finally, in October 1793, revolutionaries destroyed 1600 homes and chopped off 12 heads in 5 minutes in Lyons (Doc C). This shows once again how the violence used was to a much greater degree than necessary. Thus, The internal threats during the Reign of Terror did not justify the horrible actions of the government in …show more content…
In 1792 the French won the battle of Valmy in which it protected its government and spread the ideas of the revolution (Doc B). This shows how the forces fighting France from the outside were in no way a reason to oppress and terrorize the french people. Because the War was turned on a winning side from 1792 onwards, no effects of the war can be used to justify the Reign of Terror. Some may try to provide the example of August 1792, in with an 80,000 man army marched into France (Doc B). This does not apply however, because the Reign of Terror was started in 1793, and only two months after this event the tides of the war turned in favor of France. Thus, when the draft was put into place in August of 1793 (Doc A), this in no way was a consequence of the external affairs of France. Next, Between 1792 and 1795, France defeated Prussia and Austria and took over the Austrian Netherlands (Doc B). This proves that the actions of the Reign of Terror had to justification by external conflicts. In the end, the war with Prussia and Austria ended up increasing France’s power in the world. Since this is true, no negative consequence on the treatment of people in France can stem from the war. Essentially, because the war was already on a winning turn during the Reign of Terror, there is no reason that the revolutionary government was just in the executions are
Should an individual be put to death because of an opinion about society? Subpar conditions in France caused Maximilien Robespierre, the leader of the radical phase of the French Revolution, to enact the “Reign of Terror”, which was an extremely violent response to the reign of Louis XVI by the revolutionary government. During this period of two years, the Guillotine, or “National Razor” dropped a heavy blade on the necks of thousands of people who were unjustly tried and condemned to death. The actions of the revolutionary government during the Reign of Terror in France were not justified. The internal and external threats that France was facing at the time did not warrant the brutal and violent methodology …show more content…
Not only did this attack on christianity betray the ideals that would have made it justified, but it also caused an undermining of an entire religion that many people followed. Finally, in October 1793, revolutionaries destroyed 1600 homes and chopped off 12 heads in 5 minutes in Lyons (Doc C). This shows once again how the violence used was to a much greater degree than necessary. Thus, The internal threats during the Reign of Terror did not justify the horrible actions of the government in …show more content…
In 1792 the French won the battle of Valmy in which it protected its government and spread the ideas of the revolution (Doc B). This shows how the forces fighting France from the outside were in no way a reason to oppress and terrorize the french people. Because the War was turned on a winning side from 1792 onwards, no effects of the war can be used to justify the Reign of Terror. Some may try to provide the example of August 1792, in with an 80,000 man army marched into France (Doc B). This does not apply however, because the Reign of Terror was started in 1793, and only two months after this event the tides of the war turned in favor of France. Thus, when the draft was put into place in August of 1793 (Doc A), this in no way was a consequence of the external affairs of France. Next, Between 1792 and 1795, France defeated Prussia and Austria and took over the Austrian Netherlands (Doc B). This proves that the actions of the Reign of Terror had to justification by external conflicts. In the end, the war with Prussia and Austria ended up increasing France’s power in the world. Since this is true, no negative consequence on the treatment of people in France can stem from the war. Essentially, because the war was already on a winning turn during the Reign of Terror, there is no reason that the revolutionary government was just in the executions are