How revolutionary was the French Revolution? This is one of the most intriguing questions after all the events which took place between 1789 and 1795 in France. In only 6 years time France underwent political changes which took decades or even hundreds of years in other countries. But what were the effects on the French people? The nobles for example lost their privileges such as the exemption of taxes, but also hunting and fishing rights and the right to wear a sword. Feudalism was abolished and peasants did no longer have to pay seigneurial dues or any other form of duty to the nobility. As the French society turned into a society which was based on merit and not on inherited privileges the nobility also lost their titles and their positions in the French army and public life. A part of the nobility fled out of the country at the Great Fear but also in later years to escape the Terror. However, after 1795 most of them came back and their titles have been restored. A small part has been executed. In the August Decrees the tithe has been abolished and priests now received a salary from the state. Church property became state property which was to be sold and the state got more and more influence on the church. The clergy were required to swear an oath on the constitution, but many refused as they needed approval from the Pope. Priests who …show more content…
Until then the National Assembly was divided into people who wanted to abolish slavery as all men are equal and into people who were against the abolition as this would harm the French economy. However, the principles of the Revolution led to uprisings in Saint Domingue in 1791 already. The very violent Haitian revolution which lasted until 1804 finally led to the independent republic of Haiti. Other colonies became independent far after the Revolution and some are still French departements