The guillotine’s presence and terror were necessary for reformations to occur during the French Revolution. It cannot be denied that the National Razor was a key part of terror and when placed into the hands of political figures like Robespierre, the guillotine became a weapon of persuasion. It was a symbol of power for revolutionists and was eagerly supported by Robespierre and the Jacobins. This fear of death led to mass paranoia throughout France, coming to an all-time high during the notorious Reign of Terror. The Reign of Terror was the most influential and the goriest phase of the French Revolution, fear playing a major part in the increased use of the guillotine, it is estimated that 17,000 people were executed during this phase . The