Eleanor Finch
The French Constitution of 1791, France's first written constitution, was created after the collapse of the absolute monarchy of the Ancien Régime. It was drafted by the National Assembly and reluctantly accepted by King Louis XVI in September 1791, turning the absolute monarchy into a constitutional monarchy. The constitution redefined the organisation of the French government, citizenship, and the limits to the powers of the government, asserting the interests of the general will.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| First written constitution in France | N/A |
| Established after | Collapse of the absolute monarchy of the Ancien Régime |
| Adopted on | 3 September 1791 |
| Preamble | Declaration of the Rights of Man and of the Citizen |
| Citizenship | Distinction between active and passive citizens |
| Powers retained by the king | Right to form a cabinet and to select and appoint ministers, ability to veto legislation |
| Title of the king | Amended from 'King of France' to 'King of the French' |
| Legislative body | Unicameral |
| Voting rights | Restricted to "active" citizens who paid taxes; about two-thirds of adult men could vote |
| Social structure | Abolished nobility, declared all men equal before the law |
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What You'll Learn
- The French Constitution of 1791 was the country's first written constitution
- The constitution was drafted by the National Assembly
- It redefined the French government, citizenship, and limits to the government's powers
- The monarchy was retained, but sovereignty resided in the Legislative Assembly
- The constitution amended Louis XVI's title from 'King of France' to 'King of the French'
The French Constitution of 1791 was the country's first written constitution
The constitution redefined the organisation of the French government, citizenship, and the limits of governmental powers. It retained the monarchy, but sovereignty now effectively resided in the Legislative Assembly, which was elected by a system of indirect voting. The franchise was restricted to "active" citizens, who were men over the age of 25 and paid direct taxes equal to three days' labour. This allowed around two-thirds of adult men to vote for electors and choose certain local officials directly.
The constitution also revised the role of the king. Louis XVI's title was amended from 'King of France' to 'King of the French', implying that his power emanated from the people and the law, not divine right or national sovereignty. The king retained the right to form a cabinet and select and appoint ministers, as well as the ability to veto legislation he did not approve of. However, this constitutional monarchy proved unworkable, as the king's attempts to escape Paris and the revolution revealed his lack of faith in the constitution.
The National Assembly threaded between modifying the existing unwritten constitution centred on the three estates of the Estates General or completely rewriting it. The final document abolished many "institutions which were injurious to liberty and equality of rights", including the nobility of France, and declared all men equal before the law. The Declaration of the Rights of Man and of the Citizen, adopted on 26 August 1789, became the preamble of the constitution.
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The constitution was drafted by the National Assembly
The Constitution of 1791 was drafted by the National Assembly, which was both a legislature and a constitutional convention. The Assembly's primary objective was to provide France with a fair and liberal constitution. The constitution was an attempt to redefine the French state and the social structure, and to legalise the Assembly itself.
The National Assembly had two options when drafting the constitution: they could modify the existing, unwritten constitution, which was centred on the three estates of the Estates General, or they could start over and rewrite it completely. The Assembly chose the latter option, abolishing the tricameral structure of the Estates General.
The constitution was France's first attempt at a national constitution and was the first written constitution in the country. It was passed in September 1791, establishing the Kingdom of the French and turning the absolute monarchy into a constitutional monarchy. The constitution amended King Louis XVI's title from 'King of France' to 'King of the French', implying that his power emanated from the people and the law, not from divine right or national sovereignty.
The constitution was controversial, particularly regarding the issue of citizenship. A distinction was made between 'active' citizens, who had political rights, and 'passive' citizens, who had only civil rights. This meant that only those over the age of 25 who paid direct taxes equal to three days' labour could participate in the political process. This restriction on citizenship was intolerable to radical deputies such as Maximilien Robespierre, who could never be reconciled to the Constitution of 1791.
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It redefined the French government, citizenship, and limits to the government's powers
The French Constitution of 1791 was France's first national constitution, created after the collapse of the absolute monarchy of the Ancien Régime. It redefined the French government, citizenship, and limits to the government's powers in several ways.
Firstly, it transformed the absolute monarchy into a constitutional monarchy, with sovereignty effectively residing in the Legislative Assembly. The constitution amended King Louis XVI's title from 'King of France' to 'King of the French', implying that his power emanated from the people and the law, not from divine right or national sovereignty. The king retained some powers, such as the right to form a cabinet and appoint ministers, as well as a suspensive veto over the legislature. However, the National Assembly preserved several powers for the Crown, including the nomination of ambassadors and military leaders.
Secondly, the constitution redefined citizenship by introducing a distinction between "active" and "passive" citizens." Active citizens, who were over the age of 25 and paid direct taxes equal to three days' labour, held political rights. On the other hand, passive citizens only possessed civil rights. This compromise between universal rights and restricted rights proved unsatisfactory to radicals such as Maximilien Robespierre, who advocated for equal rights for all subjects of the French Crown.
Thirdly, the constitution aimed to reorganize the social structure and abolish institutions that were "injurious to liberty and equality of rights". It abolished the nobility of France and declared all men equal before the law. The National Assembly, born of the Estates General of 1789, also abolished the tricameral structure of that body. The constitution's property qualifications extended voting rights to around 4.3 million Frenchmen, although radicals continued to demand universal male suffrage.
Overall, the Constitution of 1791 represented a significant shift in the French government, citizenship, and the limits of governmental powers, setting the stage for further revolutionary changes in the years to come.
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The monarchy was retained, but sovereignty resided in the Legislative Assembly
The French Constitution of 1791 was the country's first attempt at a national constitution. It was drafted by the National Assembly and adopted in September 1791, following the collapse of the absolute monarchy of the Ancien Régime. The constitution redefined the organisation of the French government, citizenship, and the limits of the government's powers.
The National Assembly, which was both a legislature and a constitutional convention, aimed to reorganize the social structure and legalize itself. It retained the monarchy, but the king's title was amended from 'King of France' to 'King of the French'. This change implied that the king's power derived from the people and the law, rather than from divine right or national sovereignty. The monarch's role was revised, and they retained the right to select and appoint ministers. The constitution also granted the king a civil list and a suspensive veto power, allowing him to deny assent to bills for up to five years.
However, the sovereignty effectively resided in the Legislative Assembly, which was elected by a system of indirect voting. The franchise was restricted to "active citizens" who met certain property qualifications, such as paying a minimum sum in taxes. This typically included males over the age of 25 whose annual taxes were equivalent to at least three days' wages. About two-thirds of adult men had the right to vote for electors and choose certain local officials directly.
The National Assembly's belief in a sovereign nation and equal representation was reflected in the constitutional separation of powers. The Assembly formed the legislative branch, while the king and royal ministers constituted the executive branch, and the judiciary remained independent of the other two branches. Despite the retention of the monarchy, the constitution's emphasis on popular sovereignty and the limitations placed on the king's powers marked a significant shift in the balance of power.
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The constitution amended Louis XVI's title from 'King of France' to 'King of the French'
The French Constitution of 1791 was France's first attempt at a national constitution, created after the collapse of the absolute monarchy of the Ancien Régime. It was drafted by the National Assembly, which had to navigate between two options: they could either modify the existing unwritten constitution, which was centred on the three estates of the Estates General, or they could rewrite it entirely.
The main controversies during the drafting process were the level of power to be granted to the king and the form that the legislature would take. The Constitutional Committee proposed a bicameral legislature, but this was defeated in favour of a unicameral one. The Committee also proposed an absolute veto power for the king, but this was also defeated, and instead, a suspensive veto power was granted, which could be overridden by three consecutive legislatures.
The Constitution was reluctantly accepted by King Louis XVI in September 1791, and it redefined the organisation of the French government, citizenship, and the limits of governmental power. The National Assembly asserted its legal presence in the government by establishing its permanence in the Constitution and forming a system for recurring elections.
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Frequently asked questions
The French Constitution of 1791 was the first written constitution in France, created after the collapse of the absolute monarchy of the Ancien Régime.
The Constitution of 1791 redefined the organisation of the French government, citizenship, and the limits of government power. It abolished the nobility of France and declared all men equal before the law.
One of the main controversies was the level of power to be granted to the king. The National Assembly wanted to preserve some powers for the Crown, such as the nomination of ambassadors and ministers. Another controversy was the issue of citizenship and whether every subject of the French Crown would be given equal rights.
The Constitution of 1791 turned the absolute monarchy into a constitutional monarchy, with sovereignty effectively residing in the Legislative Assembly. However, the monarch retained certain powers, such as the right to veto legislation.
The Constitution of 1791 was drafted by the National Assembly and adopted on 3 September 1791, turning the Kingdom of France into a constitutional monarchy. However, on 10 August 1792, the Storming of the Tuileries Palace took place, and the Legislative Assembly suspended the constitutional monarchy on 11 August 1792. The monarchy was eventually abolished on 21 September 1792, bringing an end to Bourbon rule in France.
