Description

The French Revolution is incredibly complex and involves a lot of moving parts, from the monarchy to the political clubs, from the intelligentsia to the starving peasantry protesting in the streets. This book breaks it down for you in simple terms.

It could be argued that the French Revolution is the perfect example of a social movement that began with the best of intentions yet somehow went wrong.

The ideologues of the French Revolution were seeking to create a better, more just society. Their eloquent and profound words about equality, freedom of religion, and sound representation became a great source of inspiration for many. French Enlightenment thinkers even influenced the American Revolution, which occurred prior to France's revolution.

But while the American Revolution resulted in the founding of a nation based upon the principles of democracy and representative government, the French Revolution devolved into an utter nightmare, especially for those in the upper class.

The French Revolution witnessed mob violence of the worse kind. Practically no one was safe. The king and queen were killed by the guillotine, and so was the Jacobin architect of the "Great Terror," Maximilien Robespierre. Then, in perhaps one of the greatest ironies of all, the French Revolution ended with the rise of Napoleon Bonaparte, who became a dictator. Many scholars refer to Napoleon as an "enlightened despot," but he was a dictator all the same.

The French Revolution does indeed present itself as an incredibly perplexing paradox. What happened? What went wrong? Here in this book, we explore the possibilities.

Learn all about:

• The downfall of King Louis and Marie Antoinette
• The rise of the Jacobins and other political clubs
• The Reign of Terror and the cult of Robespierre
• The Thermidorian Reaction and what that meant for the French
• The Directory and other government bodies
• Napoleon Bonaparte and his military genius and leadership style
• And so much more