Contrasting The Motives, Underlying Factors And Outcomes Of The French And American Revolution

To any well-informed historian, it is evident that the age of Man has seen no shortage of conflict. Empires have risen and fell, wars were fought, governments were established, nations collapsed and dissolved. Change is enacted through nonviolent protest, or else through coups and revolutions, for history has proven, for the most part, that unrelenting force initiated by the people is the guide behind true political and economic advancements. Whatever the means may be, it is the people, not rulers, dictators or deities, who ultimately decide the course of their nation.

Such was the case in 18th century colonial America, an aggregate of colonies subjugated to the rule of, and therefore dependent upon the Kingdom of Great Britain. Inspired by 17th Century Enlightenment philosophy, many Americans began to question the need for a foreign ruling body to govern their local affairs. Although initially few people at the time felt the necessity to revolt against Great Britain, a series of British excise taxes following the French and Indian War successfully ignited feelings of injustice among the colonies that fostered the notion of revolution against the British. By 1775, the yet-to-become independent nation was engaged in a full-fledged war against Great Britain; one that they would eventually win.

Less than 20 years later however, another political revolution had begun more than 4,000 miles away from the American colonies. The Kingdom of France was in severe national debt (ironically, this was partially due to France’s involvement in the American Revolution) and years of drought and insufficient harvest left the 3rd Estate, or the commoners, destitute and starving. Concurrently, however, the clergies and nobility, comprising the 1st and 2nd Estate, respectively, were exempt from federal taxation, despite being considerably more affluent. Unsurprisingly, the 3rd Estate, consisting of over 98% of the population of France, protested for equal representation and relatively equal status with the bourgeoisie; their pleas, however, were initially dismissed by the monarch, the relatively inexperienced Louis XVI. Eventually, the Third Estate, now self-proclaimed as the National Assembly, stormed the Bastille fortress and led an armed uprising against the monarchy and upper classes. Known as the French Revolution, the National Assembly successfully disposed of the head of the monarchy (in quite a literal sense, for the guillotine had recently been invented and was notorious for its use in public executions) and thus began a period of political and economic turmoil that only ceased after Napoleon Bonaparte, a young but brilliant military commander, entered the political fray and ended the dispute. The French Revolution began as a revolt against the monarchy; ironically ending with the appointment of another, arguably more powerful dictator.

The American Revolution was arguably the more effective of the two revolutions, due to a multitude of both political and economic factors that led to its eventual success. Unlike the French, who simply desired a balance in the social structure, Americans were fighting for their independence from another ruling nation, and one with the most powerful Navy and strongest global influence, no less. Yet the Americans succeeded, and this success was largely attributed to the fact that unlike Great Britain, the Americans were aided by foreign nations, most of which held a strong animosity against the British even prior to the American Revolution. Despite initial defeats at Falmouth, Quebec, and Brooklyn, the morale of the Continental Army was soon reinvigorated by the timely arrival of French military reinforcements, for they too sought to strategically weaken Great Britain, whom they perceived as a mutual enemy. Led by general and military genius Gilbert de Motier, Marquis de Lafayette, the intervention of the French army soon proved to be integral in the successes at Yorktown and vital to the eventual independence of the American colonies. Furthermore, the Continental Army, despite being insufficiently armed, were under the guidance of Washington, a great military strategist in his own right. As the Commander In Chief of the Continental Army, it was largely due to Washington’s military prowess and aptitude for military strategy that the Americans were able to secure victories at both Trenton and Princeton, the former crucial in bolstering the morale of the soldiers and America as a whole. Perhaps most importantly, however, was the American’s resolve and will to attain their independence. Early defeats, although disheartening, did little to waver their faith in the Revolution, and the Continental Army remained steadfast in their resolve. Washington himself spoke of the dire conditions at Valley Forge in 1778, citing the destitute conditions of the army and the lack of food, sufficient clothing and adequate shelter in a letter he sent to all the states, except Georgia [1]. Even still, despite the innumerable hardships he and his men faced, Washington and his army nevertheless continued to fight for independence, for freedom, for justice. It should be noted that Great Britain was far more superior in terms of military strength, and possessed far more experienced generals, although not as perhaps cunning as the leaders of the Revolution. Yet by 1983, America had bested the world’s greatest superpower, and by 1983, were no longer affiliated with the British Crown.

In contrast, the French Revolution, despite invoking change nevertheless, was not nearly as successful. Following the National Convention, the public execution of former king Louis XVI and establishment of the Revolutionary Tribunal, France nevertheless experienced a period of economic strife and nationwide chaos, dubbed by many historians as “The Reign of Terror”. Enforced by radical Maximilien Robespierre, the National Assembly arrested, and often executed, those who were perceived as “Enemies of the Revolution”. It was partially due to the chaotic nature of the Revolution that resulted in it being perceived as purely a revolution of violence, and thus less successful in its original intent to simply establish a constitutional monarchy. It was also due to the inherently violent nature of the Revolution that allowed Napoleon Bonaparte, a native Corsican, and a shrewd military commander, to quickly rise through the (considerably more egalitarian) military and emerge as a brilliant tactician, one who, due to his enormous popularity with the people of France, was later elected as First Consul and later Emperor of France. Following Napoleon’s defeat at Waterloo and subsequent abdication to the island of St. Helena however, the Bourbon regime was reinstituted; however, unlike before during the reign of Louis XVI, the new regime was a constitutional monarchy and thus placed limits on the power of the monarchy. Thus, one could theoretically argue that after decades of economic struggle, nationwide chaos, and political disarray, the French Revolution somewhat succeeded in its goal of limiting the rights of the monarchy, although nevertheless a monarchy. Whether or not it was truly effective is nevertheless questionable, for despite both being centered on the principles of the Enlightenment, the American Revolution was undoubtedly more efficacious in achieving its original intent.

The Revolutionary War was fought for independence from the foreign powers that ruled them, whilst the French Revolution commenced due to the desire for political reforms and more democratic society. Yet both were influenced, and perhaps incited by Enlightenment beliefs; beliefs regarding equality; beliefs regarding natural rights and the role government played in the lives of its People. The United States Declaration of Independence echoed the philosophies of Locke, Montesquieu, Rousseau, and Voltaire; likewise, the 3rd Estate rose against the monarchy in the name of “Liberté, Égalité, Fraternité”: all Enlightenment ideologies. Yet they contrast highly in their nature and aims, and it may have been because of this that many consider the French Revolution a failure. The Americans were favored with astute military leaders, foreign aid, and perhaps most importantly, the moral integrity and adherence to ethical values that the French Revolution so lacked. The French Revolution only proved what countless other revolutions already did: although violence may be necessitated to foster change for the people, the abandonment of morality to paranoia, chaos and unregulated bloodlust do a nation no favors, and it is for this reason that the Americans were ultimately more effective in attaining their goal.

Citations

[1] Washington, George. “The Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History.” George Washington from Valley Forge on the Urgent Need for Men and Supplies, 1777 | Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History, https://www.gilderlehrman.org/history-now/spotlight-primary-source/george-washington-valley-forge-urgent-need-men-and-supplies.

McLean, John. “History of Western Civilization II.” France after 1815 | History of Western Civilization II, https://courses.lumenlearning.com/suny-hccc-worldhistory2/chapter/france-after-1815/.