The
impact of the French Revolution on the European system?
France
always played an important role in the life of Europe. It was told that to
understand Europe you have to know France. The story of Europe is the story of
France. Everything France took part in is a part of life of different European
countries.
The
impact of French Revolution on Europe is so huge, that it made its impact on
the whole XIX century. It made its step to kindness with the help of the clever
ideas, freedom and equality. It brought light in the ideas of many countries
and horrified some of them. Socialism of the XIX century was also the idea of
French Revolution, it also was a reaction to French Revolution, and the
reaction against that France did not make its promises: liberty and equality. The
reaction on French Revolution was indifferent. The actions happening in France
showed that revolution itself brings anarchy and terror. The struggle of people
for better life, for liberty and fairness brings to repression, terror,
vandalism and death.
To
talk about impact of one action, happening to one nation on the life of others
and their history is not easy, even though it is such a great event as
revolution. French Revolution for a long time made impact on Europe with its
ideas and became the reason to some actions of the people for a century. That
is why, to talk about the impact of the revolution is to talk how the ideas of
the release from the non-governmental states were brought from one nation to
another. That is how ideas of the rebel and the struggle against old reforms
emerged on all the countries. The attempt to make the changes in the history
awakes people for active deeds. Revolution itself gardens and protects. It
points how dangerous it is for any form of government the combination the
masses of people who are against something, because they are not under control,
how revolution is unpredictable and how it can turn for many into the crush of
hopes and destinies.
“French Revolution was very complex event which raises so
many different and contradictory assessments. Many different groups of people
of various public movements, different classes have tried to find a better life
for themselves and their own way to resolve issues of justice and freedom
through revolution. Tremendous passion of people to free themselves from the
oppression of the rich, from the injustice cannot not to evoke sympathy. How to
make all of them free, happy and prosperous? Even Rousseau, Helvetius, Mably,
Diderot, and others consider an inequality of states and the accumulation of
wealth in the hands of a few people the major obstacle to the establishment of
democratic freedom. And in the years of revolution, these attitudes began to
speak with greater force. Many of the Revolutionists maintained that equality
of political rights is nothing, if not right in practice. The latter, said
Condorcet, represents «the latest target of public art», since the
inequality of wealth, inequality of states and inequality of education — the
main premise of all evil. A very common formula the first years of the
revolution: «Big states represent an obstacle to freedom.» In large
cities, people in the needs of life itself first appeared communist ideas.
Chief among them: the distribution of means of subsistence and the general
membership on the ground, as well as the right to education for all. It was
assumed, along with the right of all the products and the products of the first
and second necessity, as a personal right to surplus” (Karlyle, 2002).
This
topic will help to understand, what revolution is, how it appears, how it is
important for the other countries: what kind of philosophical, economical and
social ideas it brought to the humanity what is its role in the history.
In
every state there are people who are not happy with their lives. Revolution
appears when the masses of people, who are not happy with laws, government and
their lives, come together. Revolution means to connect different classes of
people. They all have different aims, different interests, but there is one
will – is to get rid of life they live at the moment. The rebel against
existing laws is the connector of all the revolutions.
There
were two massive flows in France, which prepare and made revolution.
Bourgeoisie, which had its own views on the government, and proletariat, which
were aiming for better life. When two of these flows came together, in the
beginning, with one aim, and then helped each other, the revolution started.
“The
governor should be only the emblem on national unity, alleging the will of
Parliament, and from time to time holding the balance between the parties. The
real power is bound to be elected and remain in the hands of Parliament, in
which the educated bourgeoisie, representing an active and thoughtful part of
the nation, would have predominated over all the estates. In this case the
Government must enrich individuals and the accumulation of huge wealth. Many
believed that the enrichment of individuals is the way to enrich people. The
economic desires of that time could reflect the notion of “freedom of industry
and trade, suggesting the presence of a large mass of workers, due to release
farmers from feudal dependence and the removal of state intervention that hider
businessman.
According to the aspirations, knowledge and skills in
political affairs, by its own conscience and consistency, bourgeoisie, of
course was superior to ordinary folk, who did not create a public and economic
ideal, although the
great ideas of freedom and equality came to the darkest corners of the country.
Although in the minds of a light had flashed
indignation and rebellion, and hope to close the change forced the heart beat
even the most downtrodden people, the ideas of national liberation and economic
changes were manifested in the people only in the form of a usual denial and
vague desire for something. Many favourites thought: «Why tell
people how future will pan out? This is just cool revolutionary fervour. Let people have the strength to attack the old
institutions, and we’ll see how to live». This lack of people clear idea
of what to expect from the Revolution, led then to a variety of collisions and
led to anarchy and spontaneity” (Gentz, 2002).
“French
Revolution had a great impact on European nations and inspired mostly all of
the countries, which took part in the events of revolution beginning in Europe
in the XIX century. Repressions started to take part in England since 1892.
Dissatisfaction of the government was rising in England, there were more
speeches of poor people and massive discomposure of the sailors. The government
answered with arrests, executing of the people taking part in rebellion, jails
and banding of any democratic communities and working nations.
Ireland,
still being the colony of England, saw help in French Revolution. The
democratic flow was started. All the enemies of England were drawn together in
the head of bourgeoisie revolutionists. They wanted to create independent Irish
republic. They were preparing uprising, relying on the help of France.
French
Revolution also had an impact on the appearing the entire political events in
the European countries. There, as well as in France, the revolutionary actions
started. First of all they have started in Belgium. And as the result Belgium
became a part of France in 1795. It had lost its sovereignty and its economy
was under control of French bourgeoisie” (Davies, 1996). 
“There
were changes also in the political life o Switzerland. French Revolution
brought to the democratic actions in Switzerland. After French troops were on
the territory of Switzerland there was a new constitution made, which broke old
public relations and new bourgeoisie laws appeared.
Germany
also became a country French Revolution had a great impact on. German
bourgeoisie was too weak in economic sense and not developed to overcome the
division of their country and become the head of its government.
In
Italy, the idea o French Revolution also found many followers. In the middle of
them, Philippe Buonarroti, who has moved to France during the Revolution. He
was closely connected with many figures of Italian democracy, which relied on
France in restoring the unity of Italy. Despite the fact that in the end of
Bonaparte’s campaign, there were serious territorial and political
configurations, neither the director, nor Bonaparte did not support the Italian
Democrats to create a unified Italian republic. The French intervention had an
aggressive character. All this led to a creation of a secret revolutionary
society in Piedmont, directed against monarchy and against French. The
uprising, organised by this society was brutally crushed by French troops. In
the end, when the second coalition against French was formed, French Army could
no longer rely on Italian folk. After French troops left Italy, the old order
was restored”(Alison,2009).
Indeed, the revolution has led to enormous political,
economic and educational reforms in the country and in Europe. The economic
recovery in France let her make more than 20 years of war. Within four years of
the revolution, France was transformed. France became the state of wealthy
farmers with high productivity. Nation has refreshed. This manifested in the
obsession with political affairs and in the independence of judgments. The
revolution in the country has managed to preserve the land confiscated from the
nobility and the church, to keep freedom, reclaimed from the Monarchy. Even
after coming to power of the Bourbons the old order was restored.
In the history of people comes time which brings significant
change in the whole system of their life. And then it seems likely two ways:
reform or revolution. Sometimes there is one moment when reformation is still
possible, but if this moment is not used by the rulers of the
country, therefore the revolution begins.
During the work I often wondered, why the French Revolution,
all, irrespective of how it estimated, was called the Great?
And
now, I think I know the answer. The revolution, of course, did not start
itself. People got tired to live the way they lived. Everyone wanted changes.
Nearby were the greatest scientists, philosophers, who gave the people of the
great ideas of rebuilding lives. Economists,
public figures, the bourgeoisie — all thought about society, the welfare of the
nation, the prosperity of their people. This led to capitalism and
individualism, the enrichment of individuals, the impoverishment of the rest. Welfare society, still did not work. But it was
such a bright dream of mankind, such a global project! Already engaging in a revolution, people have seen the blood and
pillage, the deception, all of human baseness. The world was a great
disappointment in the idea of man! And I think that there were many moral views
understood. The fact is when people destroy something, they destroy themselves.
That is not realistic to achieve happiness of the nation, destroying part of
it. And the choice is all the same — to fight or all suffer and forgive?
Reference list

1.   Alison,
A., 2009. History of
Europe from the Commencement of the French Revolution to the Restoration of the
Bourbons in 1815. United States: General Books LLC,2009.

2.   Davies,
N., 1996. Europe. UK: Oxford University Press, 1996.

3.   Gentz,
F., 2009. On the State of
Europe Before and After the French Revolution. United States: Kessinger
Publishing, 2008.

4.   Karlyle, T., 2002.
French Revolution. History. United States: Modern Library.