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The French Revolution was a practical application of enlightenment ideas, specifically the classical liberal principles of John Locke.

Estates

France was divided into three rigid social classes:

• First Estate: Catholic Clergy (held special privileges)
• Second Estate: Nobility (held special privileges and paid no taxes)
• Third Estate: 98% of the population (merchants, peasants, and craftsmen). They had no power and bore the entire tax burden

Liberalism

The Revolution was driven by the desire to implement core liberal concepts championed by John Locke:

• Natural Rights: The Declaration of the Rights of Man and Citizen mirrored Locke’s belief that individual rights (liberty and property) are fundamental to human nature
• The Social Contract: The Third Estate formed the National Assembly to create a government based on the consent of the governed, moving away from the “Divine Right” of King Louis XVI
• Purpose of Government: The assembly proclaimed that government exists only to protect these individual rights

Key Events

• Estates-General (1789): Called to solve debt issues; the Third Estate was outvoted by the first two, leading them to break away and pledge to write a new Constitution.
• Storming of the Bastille: A violent revolt against royal power and the start of the revolution
• End of Monarchy: King Louis XVI was executed for treason, ending 1,000 years of monarchy and establishing the First French Republic

Shift to Radicalism

Eventually, the revolution moved away from Lockean stability into the Reign of Terror, where extremist factions executed thousands, showing how the “General Will” can sometimes override individual liberal protections.

Conservativism as a Criticism

Conservatism, largely defined by Edmund Burke in response to 1789, argues that the Revolution proved the dangers of radical liberal change.

• Critique of Rationalism: Conservatives argue that society is a delicate “organic” organism. By trying to rebuild France from scratch based on abstract liberal theories, revolutionaries destroyed the social fabric, leading to the Reign of Terror and the execution of thousands.
• Human Imperfection: Unlike liberals, conservatives believe human nature is flawed. Removing the authority of the monarchy and church didn’t create freedom; it created a power vacuum filled by mob violence and extremist factions.

The Rise of Napoleon

The chaos of the Revolution eventually paved the way for Napoleon Bonaparte.

• From General to Emperor: As a successful military general, Napoleon seized control in a coup to restore order to a fractured France. Although he claimed to defend revolutionary values, he eventually declared himself Emperor, essentially returning France to an autocracy.
• Imperial Ambition: Napoleon sought to become the Emperor of Europe, attempting to spread French influence and liberal legal codes through conquest.

Constant Warfare

France’s shift from liberal revolution to imperial expansion resulted in nearly two decades of constant war (The Napoleonic Wars).

• Instability: Conservatives point to this era as the ultimate consequence of revolution: radical change at home leads to instability abroad.
• The Cost: These wars pitted France against almost every major European power (including Britain, Russia, and Austria), leading to massive loss of life and ending only with Napoleon’s final defeat at Waterloo.

Summary

The French Revolution ultimately led to worse conditions as the Reign of Terror claimed thousands of lives and sparked constant warfare with neighbouring countries, creating a power vacuum that allowed Napoleon to rise as a military dictator and self-proclaimed Emperor, which conservatism saw as the effects of liberalism.