French_Revolution

French Revolution Analysis of the French Revolution "Revolutions evolve in definite phases. At first they are moderate in scope, then they become radical to excess and finally they are brought to abrupt conclusions by the emergence of a strong man to restore order." Discuss this statement with specific references to the French Revolution. The French Revolution brought about great changes in the society and government of France. The revolution, which lasted from 1789 to 1799, also had far-reaching effects on the rest of Europe. "It introduced democratic ideals to France but did not make the nation a democracy. However, it ended supreme rule by French kings and strengthened the middle class." (Durant, 12) After the revolution began, no European kings, nobles, or other members of the aristocracy could take their powers for granted or ignore the ideals of liberty and equality. The revolution began with a government financial crisis but quickly became a movement of reform and violent change. In one of the early events, a crowd in Paris captured the Bastille, a royal fortress and hated symbol of oppression. A series of elected legislatures then revolution, french, estate, france, convention, third, estates, one, king, government, first, called, began, terror, people, national, mountain, xvi, world, two, reign, paris, new, napoleon, louis, leaders, book, assembly, 1793, 1789, woloch, wanted, vote, took, three, themselves, taxes, states-general, stage, society, robespierre, representatives, nobles, middle, meeting, july, executed, ended, encyclopedia, directory