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Summary The coming of the Terror June-Sept 1793
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Notes on the coming of the Terror June-Sept 1793 during the French Revolution
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The coming of the Terror June-September 1793Committee of Public Safety’s government:
After the expulsion of the Girondins the ‘moderate’ faction in the NC collapsed; the way was
open for the Montagnards + esp, their spokesman Robespierre to dominate government
- This was done more through the private activities of the CPS than open debate in
Convention
CPS was responsible for ‘supervising and facilitating the execution of measures taken by the
provisional Executive Council, whose orders it may suspend if it believes them contrary to
the national interest’
- Provided 2/3 of the CPS membership had voted in favour of an order, this had to be
carried out by the provisional EC; this left the ‘executive’ in a severely weakened
position
- CPS also assumed authority over the CGS; both had responsibility for internal security +
there were some clashes
- CPS supervised the other special committees, groups + représentants-en-mission which
had been set up to ensure ‘total commitment’ to the war effort
‘Safeguards’ had been written into the decree which established the CPS but they provided
limited restraint
- Members (initially 9, from Sept, 12) were supposedly changed once a month but from
Sept a clique of dominant members emerged inc: Robespierre, Saint-Just, Couthon +
Carnot
- CPS reported to the Convention weekly but became a rubber-stamping exercise for its
decisions
- Convention’s control of national finances was no hindrance to CPS since Con. allocated
generous funds for ‘special missions’ which gave CPS independence
September 1793- July 1794: CPS governed France virtually unchallenged, meeting often at
night when work of Con + Jacobin Club was over
CPS’ intense and ruthless campaign to destroy all counter-revolutionaries + win the war
brought arbitrary government + the Terror to France
The influence of the sans-culottes:
In order to remove moderating voice of Girondins from NC, the Montagnards had sold
themselves to the sans-culottes
- Robespierre was never entirely comfortable but knew to maintain his political
ascendancy he needed the support of the Parisians from the 48 sections + Commune
Grain shortages + unemployment meant there was constant rioting in Paris + agitation grew
worse after 13th July when Marat was murdered by Girondin Charlotte Corday
- Sans-culottes ordered all ‘suspects’ be arrested + their ever-increasing demands for
action posed a real threat to authority of CPS + NC
th
5 September: Sans-culottes marched on the NC demanding lower bread prices, higher
wages + attack on those who were oppressing the people
- NC had little choice but to promise action against grain-hoarders + counter-revs
- Also allowed 2 popular w the scs activists to join CPS: Billaud-Varenne + Collot d’Herbois
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