Maximilien Robespierre, Gandhi, And The Reign Of Terror

Mahatma Gandhi: Gandhi was born in Porbandar, India in 1869 and died in 1948. He was western educated, specifically trained in England. Although he was a nationalist, he was anti-modern because he was skeptical to industrialism. He believed in the ideal of satyagraha, the non-tolerance of evil, but also the understanding that violence is not the answer to that evil. He also believed in non-violence. He did not cooperate with anything British, specifically trading with the British, British schooling or products, and even paying taxes to the British. He served as a civil rights activist after being thrown off a train when refusing to move from his seat in first class. He became the leading member of Congress Party in the 1930’s and shortly after participated in the March to Sea for salt during the British imposed salt tax. Every single aspect of Gandhi’s life was peaceful, if the people around him decided to disobey and use violence as a means of getting what they wanted, Gandhi would take it upon himself to fast. He was eventually assassinated by a Hindus

Mahatma Gandhi changed India’s history forever through disobedience. Even though he disobeyed the law he had a good reason to. India was under the British rule and the people were doing as british were telling them to do because they had no other option. Gandhi was the one who didn’t do as the british said, but instead stood against it because he knew that what they were doing was unfair. As he have said, “A man who was completely innocent, offered himself as a sacrifice for the good of others, including his enemies, and became the ransom of the world. It was a perfect act”. He disobeyed the british laws to free

The French and American Revolution had similar goals, and were caused by the lack of the same things. First came the American Revolution: the movement that formed the United States. Later, the French Revolution came inspired by the Americans. Both of these revolutions were lead by leaders including: George Washington was the commander and chief of the American Revolution. Maximillien Robespierre the leader of the Reign of Terror in the French Revolution. Cornwallis The leader of Britian in the American Revolution. John Adams who signed the Declaration of Independence. Thomas Jefferson the author of the Declaration of Independence.

So that leaves question as to how it was that Robespierre transformed from a man who believed in a government for the people to nearly becoming a tyrant himself. To understand this, one must understand the circumstances which arose in France during the late eighteenth century that forced him to take action. The driving problem throughout, however; was essentially the monarchy. The regime of Louis XVI could hardly be considered that of a tyrant, but nevertheless his inability to properly govern his country led to frustration and anger among the people of France. Robespierre shared this sentiment in his speech, stating that “a nation is truly corrupted when, having by degrees lost its character and its liberty, it passes from democracy to aristocracy or to monarchy; that is the decrepitude and death of the body politic....” This also hints at Robespierre’s earlier ideologies concerned with Rousseau as he does make reference to the need for a nation to have a democratic system. Louis XVI was a failing king, and even long before the National Convention had come into power much of France vowed to see the monarchy abolished. By 1791 it had become increasingly clear that Louis was no longer fit to govern – a moment marked by his attempted flight to Varennes. This cost the king his credibility and he effectively ‘died’

Both Maximilien Robespierre and Napoleon Bonaparte used the revolution as a wave they rode to the power. Without the revolution, neither of them would have gotten to the position that they did. It is true that they both had to work themselves up to get there. They went to schools to educate themselves and the revolution liked the people who were educated. People like lawyers and doctors were voted to the National Assembly to represent the common people of France. A lot of the well-educated people had a much bigger chance to grow as leaders and get to the power. The ones who took their positions seriously and used the revolution to help them get to the power were mainly Maximilien Robespierre and Napoleon Bonaparte.

The French and American Revolutions were significant revolutionary movements that essentially played a vital role in shaping modern nations. Both revolutions are known for successfully abolishing their former absolute monarchies to constitutional monarchies and democracies. The French Revolution was an important age of political and social turmoil in France that lasted from 1789 to 1799. Likewise, the American Revolution was also a political and social upheaval that took place from 1765 to 1783, where the colonists in the thirteen colonies rejected the British rule and were eventually able to defeat Britain’s authority hence creating the United States of America. The French and American revolutions have similar causes such as the emphasis on

The French Revolution were influenced by many factors such as the Enlightenment ideals, concepts of popular sovereignty, and unchallengeable rights. France’s costly involvement in the Revolution and excessive spending by King Louis XVI and his predecessor had left the country on the brink of bankruptcy. Not only were the royal coffers exhausted, but two decades of poor cereal harvests, drought, cattle disease and skyrocketing bread prices had kindled unrest among peasants and the urban poor. (history.com).These actions played a critical role in shaping modern nations. As

“If you make laws to keep us suppressed in a wrongful manner and without taking us into confidence, these laws will merely adorn the statue books. We will never obey them”(1). Mohandas Gandhi expressed this in his writing “On Nonviolent Resistance”. “Civil disobedience” is when people use their voice by protesting, non-violently, to stick up against unjust laws and unjust movements. The truths and values are proven and brought to attention in the writings of Gandhi, Martin Luther King Jr, and Henry David Thoreau. Civil disobedience can be the solution to unjust laws and violence around the world.

Maximilien Robespierre has always been known to be controversial and misunderstood. He was the face of the French Revolution. In accordance with the Jacobins, they controlled the time known as the Reign of Terror, due to their influence in the accumulation of murders of those opposed to the revolution. Reign of Terror was a symbolic time period within the French Revolution that involved corruption of power and influence and mass executions. With Robespierre at the forefront, he became one of the most important men in the Revolution. As soon as Maximilien Robespierre decided to react to enemies of the revolutions, mass execution being his choice of force; his implementation of the Reign of Terror was a villainous act striking those who

Robespierre had intended to rid France of any people that were considered a threat to the revolution through the Reign of Terror, but his actions were not necessary for France to progress. His intentions to overthrow the monarchy under Louis XVI and replace it with a new utopian republic were reasonable because, with a reformed republic, he could establish the principle stating, “the ‘rights of man’ should extend to all men – including the poor, and the slaves in the colonies” (Linton). He relentlessly advocated for equality within the working class, also known as the sans culottes, and fought for the abolishment of rigid class systems between the three estates. This allowed for him to gain a positive reputation with civilians who were mistreated within the Third Estate and obtain reverence from the Jacobins. Robespierre’s first order of business to purify France and progress the revolution began with the trial of Louis XVI. Originally, it had been known that Robespierre “was for a long time a vehement opponent of the death penalty” (Linton), so it was unexpected when he began to advocate for the King’s death. His change of opinion occurred after witnessing how Louis had committed treason through attempting to escape an unstable France which branded him as a traitor to the revolution. In his speech arguing against allowing the King to be given a trial, Robespierre claimed “yes the penalty of death generally is a crime...it can be justified only in cases when it is necessary for the safety of individuals or the social body...Louis must die, because the country must live” (“Maximilien”). It was this trial that became the root to which Robespierre’s terror stemmed from. He speculated that “...in order to defend the Revolution against those who would destroy it, the shedding of blood was justified” (Linton). From here on out, his philosophy of the ends

Sources A and B support the claim established by contemporaries and historians that Robespierre was “incorruptible”, however Robespierre was also despotic, extreme, and radical. Robespierre’s strong opinions, extremism, and despotism support that he was not easily persuaded or corruptible. Source A shows Robespierre saying “the sword that gleams in the hands of the heroes of liberty resembles those in the hands of the henchmen of tyranny”. This statement supports that the government was despotic, which shows that Robespierre was a brutal leader not easily persuaded or corrupted. His statement, “Let the despot govern by terror his brutalised subjects; he is right, as a despot” supports that Robespierre had very strong opinions, showing that

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.

In French, Writers such as Voltaire and Rousseau stirred the revolution by highlighting several cases of inequality within the systems of the French society (Zafirovski, 2011). This caused people of all the classes to come up with the ideology of resistance and advocacy for the implementation of polices that will ensure equality and respect to all people within the French society. These were the same thoughts that stirred the Americans to rise and fight the British Monarchy that was unfair and oppressive. The British Monarch was unwilling to implement meaningful policies of equality and did not at any time heed to the demands of the American citizens causing much dissatisfaction that resulted in the war for

Robespierre was the main person to implement the laws he put forth.[Footnote] He believed in solving all his problems through violence. Those who were born to a particular family, having certain opinions, or simply being at the wrong place at the wrong time, would fall victim to him. Although Robespierre was obsessed with violence, he never actually performed acts himself, unless assured he would succeed, he’d have other people to do his work for him. The most common device used to punish people was the guillotine. Robespierre used other methods at times; he’d burn, hack, stab, shoot, and even cannonade a person. Those he objected, or had been his enemy would soon be imprisoned, and eventually executed. He was relentless and ordered people dead with no trial, killing people without proving or even knowing if they were truly “guilty”. He believed the mass murders he was responsible for were justified.

The French Revolution was a important event. It was important because it signified important events that laid grounds for the transition away from Feudalism in France. Important people from the Revolution were King Louis XVI (the King of France), Marie Antoinette (The Kings wife and Queen of France), and George Danton (The execution of King Louis XVI reinforced the trend toward a new radical phase. The leader of France was King Louis XVI and everyone said he was a terrible leader. During the French Revolution people used all sorts of weapons like swords, gun bayonets, and pistols for hand-to-hand combat.