‘Between the October Days of 1789 and September 1791, the National Assembly completely
dismantled the Ancien Régime.’
Assess the validity of this view.
Although Revolutionary France dismantled the previous norms of the Ancien Regime in certain
areas, enough of the structures remained, in the period October 1789- September 1791, at least
partially functioning, for the country to retain significant aspects of the old system of power. While a
lot of progress was made socially, constitutionally and economically, in all three of these areas
material change arguably lagged behind legal change, especially for the poorest of the population.
Social change in France following the October days was notably dramatic in affecting the ancien
Regime, as it crushed the Three-Estate system that had ruled the country for centuries, though it
didn’t completely upturn the hierarchy within the country. Following the second revolutionary
journee on 5th October 1789, King Louis XVI was forced to grant the August decrees the following
day, which established every person as a ‘citoyenne,’ theoretically with social equality, as well as
announcing the abolition of venality and privilege. Additionally, after the October days, the National
Assembly continued to challenge the Ancien Regime by working to embed the target of social
equality within the function of government, by setting up state charities, which provided for the
poorest and issuing public education to mitigate educational barriers. Despite these systemic
changes however, the National Assembly failed to entirely dismantle the social hold of the Ancien
regime because the previous hierarchy merely adapted to one which benefited the Bourgeoisie most
significantly instead of the Nobility, while the poor still suffered with unequal opportunity and
subjugation. For instance, the December 1789 decision to divide society into ‘active’ and ‘passive
citizens’- of which only the active could vote- perpetuated the pre-existing class and gender
disparities, since to become an active citizen, one had to be a man, financially comfortable enough
to contribute ten days annual labour in tax. Furthermore, the restraints on workers rights also
persisted from the old system, with the Le Chapelier law of June 1791 forbidding both strikes and
Trade Unions. Thus, although through the August decrees and the foundation of different welfare
support systems, the National Assembly reduced the social stratification in France, they didn’t
completely dismantle the social divisions of the Ancien Regime, because many still lacked the right
to vote and workers faced restrictions on protest strategies.
The National Assembly mostly dismantled the Ancien Regime constitutionally, because they
curtailed the power of the King by setting up a constitutional monarchy, thereby challenging the old
expectation that as the King was at the top of the Estate System, and (due to the belief in the Divine
Right of Kings) that he was chosen by G-d, he should have absolute power. For example, the National
Assembly agreed as part of the Constitution, in October 1789 that King Louis XVI was to be called
‘King of the French’ instead of ‘King of France,’ in order to show that the King’s power emanated
from the people as opposed to an inherent right, and as such challenging the perception of his
power being natural. The Assembly also decided they would have the power to make laws, collect
taxes and decide on issues of war and peace instead of Louis. Arguably though, the fact that from
October 1789- September 1791 Louis remained as King, albeit with decreased power, demonstrates
that the Ancien Regime wasn’t completely destroyed because the defining characteristic of it, the
fact it was headed by a monarch, remained true. Indeed, Louis retained a significant amount of his
power in this period, since he possessed a suspensory veto and was also allowed to select and
appoint ministers for the cabinet. Even financially, Louis was spoilt, with an annual private income of
25 million livres, illustrating that monetary inequality in addition to authoritative inequality lived on,
despite the actions of the National Assembly. So, although his power was undoubtedly greatly
reduced from what it had been before, the fact some of it remained at all, proves that the shadow of
the Ancien Regime still endured.
dismantled the Ancien Régime.’
Assess the validity of this view.
Although Revolutionary France dismantled the previous norms of the Ancien Regime in certain
areas, enough of the structures remained, in the period October 1789- September 1791, at least
partially functioning, for the country to retain significant aspects of the old system of power. While a
lot of progress was made socially, constitutionally and economically, in all three of these areas
material change arguably lagged behind legal change, especially for the poorest of the population.
Social change in France following the October days was notably dramatic in affecting the ancien
Regime, as it crushed the Three-Estate system that had ruled the country for centuries, though it
didn’t completely upturn the hierarchy within the country. Following the second revolutionary
journee on 5th October 1789, King Louis XVI was forced to grant the August decrees the following
day, which established every person as a ‘citoyenne,’ theoretically with social equality, as well as
announcing the abolition of venality and privilege. Additionally, after the October days, the National
Assembly continued to challenge the Ancien Regime by working to embed the target of social
equality within the function of government, by setting up state charities, which provided for the
poorest and issuing public education to mitigate educational barriers. Despite these systemic
changes however, the National Assembly failed to entirely dismantle the social hold of the Ancien
regime because the previous hierarchy merely adapted to one which benefited the Bourgeoisie most
significantly instead of the Nobility, while the poor still suffered with unequal opportunity and
subjugation. For instance, the December 1789 decision to divide society into ‘active’ and ‘passive
citizens’- of which only the active could vote- perpetuated the pre-existing class and gender
disparities, since to become an active citizen, one had to be a man, financially comfortable enough
to contribute ten days annual labour in tax. Furthermore, the restraints on workers rights also
persisted from the old system, with the Le Chapelier law of June 1791 forbidding both strikes and
Trade Unions. Thus, although through the August decrees and the foundation of different welfare
support systems, the National Assembly reduced the social stratification in France, they didn’t
completely dismantle the social divisions of the Ancien Regime, because many still lacked the right
to vote and workers faced restrictions on protest strategies.
The National Assembly mostly dismantled the Ancien Regime constitutionally, because they
curtailed the power of the King by setting up a constitutional monarchy, thereby challenging the old
expectation that as the King was at the top of the Estate System, and (due to the belief in the Divine
Right of Kings) that he was chosen by G-d, he should have absolute power. For example, the National
Assembly agreed as part of the Constitution, in October 1789 that King Louis XVI was to be called
‘King of the French’ instead of ‘King of France,’ in order to show that the King’s power emanated
from the people as opposed to an inherent right, and as such challenging the perception of his
power being natural. The Assembly also decided they would have the power to make laws, collect
taxes and decide on issues of war and peace instead of Louis. Arguably though, the fact that from
October 1789- September 1791 Louis remained as King, albeit with decreased power, demonstrates
that the Ancien Regime wasn’t completely destroyed because the defining characteristic of it, the
fact it was headed by a monarch, remained true. Indeed, Louis retained a significant amount of his
power in this period, since he possessed a suspensory veto and was also allowed to select and
appoint ministers for the cabinet. Even financially, Louis was spoilt, with an annual private income of
25 million livres, illustrating that monetary inequality in addition to authoritative inequality lived on,
despite the actions of the National Assembly. So, although his power was undoubtedly greatly
reduced from what it had been before, the fact some of it remained at all, proves that the shadow of
the Ancien Regime still endured.
