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How Did Women Influence The French Revolution

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In France, revolution was by all means stirring. The French empire grows, and inevitably tries to expand its influence far thinner than what would be acceptable to the people that lived within. King Louis XVI began to spend a gargantuan amount of money, emptying the treasury to the point where it was officially declared empty. Tax reform followed suit, and the third and bottom estate of France suffered the consequences that came as a result. Furthermore, the rest of Europe was still fresh out of an era of extreme liberty, of enlightenment era ideas which would lead to the transformation of aristocratic France into the beginnings of the republic society observes today. Along with it, came social reform inherent with enlightenment ideas. Women’s …show more content…

“On the Influence of the Revolution on Women” by Louis Marie Prudhomme in 1791 provided that, as a rule, “The liberty of the people has for its basis good morals and education, and you are it's guardians and first dispensers.” This was saying a lot for women, and showed that they were quite welcome in helping with the revolution. Not only that, but the entire letter is written with such energy that any reader of such a text could interpret that Prudhomme, a man, was trying to present he was excited about women taking part in the revolution. Furthermore, in the “Declaration of the Rights of Woman” by Olympe de Gouges in 1791 provided that women should “wake up,” and that “it is in our [women’s] power to overcome them; you only have to want it.” The quote is especially critical considering Olympe de Gouges is one of the most important figures fighting for women’s rights in the revolution. However, her perspective in this text in that regard may be also corrupted by her very womanhood. Women were not only under the foot of patriarchy for a long time, but were also oppressed in ways that would inevitably make anyone upset towards ways of the past. The opinions of de Gouges were by no means incorrect, however, it is clear that the bitterness to the empire may have contributed to a false view of French society and what they can make of it. Thirdly, the Archives nationales in 1795 provided that “women above all appeared angrier … women who in their turn communicate all their frenzy to men, heating them up … and stimulating the most violent effervescence.” It should go without saying that clearly, women played an important role in stirring up

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