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French Revolution notes on the Directory
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AQA A-level history French Revolution notes on the Directory
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THE DIRECTORYTHE ESTABLISHMENT OF THE DIRECTORY
05.01.2023
Summary 1795-1799
New consti created in 1795
Aims
o Prevent a return to the monarchy
o Prevent a dictatorship like that of the CPS
o Control the common ppl (sans culottes)
Political Structure France was rules by a committee of 5 called the Directory.
o The members were chosen by the Elders from a list provided by the
500.
The convention was replaced by 2 councils
o Council of 500 initiated legislation
o Council of Elders approved or amended legislation
Prospect of Stability Good prospects Bad prospects
Source: M Wells p67 There were fewer threats of Yearly elections led to instability.
internal revolt. No mechanism to resolve disputes
The war was now going well for between the directors & the 2
France – it had even managed to councils.
extend its borders. War was costly & difficult to bring
The power of the sans-culottes had to an end.
been greatly weakened. The White terror showed that the
2 council system & directors meant problems from the Terror &
it was less likely that any 1 group previous govs still needed to be
would have complete power – less dealt w.
chance of dictatorship. Corruption in the government still
existed.
Overall
The directory had put in measures to help prevent a dictatorship forming but
these same measures created a major weakness in the directory – instability &
an inability to resolve disputes. Added to this were the problems posed by the
continuation of war & the White Terror. Therefore, they were only moderately
stable / to a limited extent.
, THE DIRECTORY
HOW SUCCESSFULLY DID THE DIRECTORY MANAGE THE
CHALLENGES THEY FACED? – THREATS FROM THE LEFT
05.01.2023
Key Nothing – background facts
! - this was a threat b/c …
∆ - this was not a threat b/c …
- evidence that they managed it well
- evidence that they did not manage it well
Babeuf Plot (1796) From Mar 96, Babeuf planned to use propaganda & agitation to persuade key
SOURCE: D. REES P143- institutions (e.g. army, police, etc) to help replace the Directory w a dictatorship &
144 overturn the Consti of Yr III, which he disliked for giving power to the wealthy.
! If Babeuf’s plot went ahead as planned, the Directory potentially had an armed
uprising to deal w.
∆ Babeuf received no support from sans-culottes & little from former Jacobins.
Babeuf was arrested in May 96 after being betrayed by a fellow conspirator &
executed – this prevented the plot from becoming a genuine threat to the Directory.
Babeuf’s ideas still inspired many 19th C French revs such as Blanqui.
Coup of Fructidor In the 1797 elections, monarchists won 180 of the 260 seats contested, meaning there
(1797) were now 330 monarchists in the councils.
SOURCE: D. REES P144- ∆ The elections didn’t give the monarchists a majority in the councils.
145 ! The elections meant that the Directory no longer had majority support & could only
rely on 1/3 of the deputies. If this trend continued, the monarchists would gain a
majority.
Of 5 directors, 2 were republicans. On 3 Sep 1797, the 2 directors ordered troops to
surround the council chambers & arrest Carnot, Barthélemy, (royalist sympathetic
directors) & 53 deputies.
2 decrees were passed:
o Cancelled the elections in 49 departments, removing 177 deputies (mostly
monarchists) w/o replacement.
o Deportation of the arrested directors & deputies, as well as some leading
royalists.
Supressed the monarchist revival & meant that the Directory could govern w/o
facing hostile councils.
Undermined the principles of a parliamentary gov & the Consti of Yr III, weakening
the stability of the Directory.
Showed voters that they wouldn’t be listened to – helped push them to resort to
violent rather than diplomatic/political methods to achieve their aims.
Partially helped lead to the Law of 22 Floreal b/c to remove the royalist deputies, the
Directory had to rely on support from the left. This gave the left more power &
confidence, & they began to criticise the Directory for the reintroduction of indirect
taxes & other economic policies.
o In response, the Directory shut down 11 Jacobin newspapers.
Law of 22 Floreal (11 A bloodless coup
May 1798) The 1798 election resulted in the Radical left controlling 106 seats & the president of
the Council of 500 becoming Chénier.
! If this trend continued, the radical left would continue to grow in power. This would
allow them to incr their criticisms that undermined the Directory & potentially allow
them to reinstate another Robespierrian gov.
The Directory convinced the Council of 500 to annul the election results in 53
departments, leading to almost 130 deputies losing their seats. These were then
replaced by individuals chosen by the Directory.
Prevented a full-on radical left revival & meant that the Directory could govern w/o
facing hostile councils.
Again undermined the principles of a parliamentary gov & the Consti of Yr III,
weakening the stability of the Directory.
Again showed voters that they wouldn’t be listened to – helped push them to resort
to violent rather than diplomatic/political methods to achieve their aims.
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