Isabella Carter
The French Constitution of 1791 was the first written constitution in France, created after the collapse of the absolute monarchy of the Ancien Régime. It was drafted by the National Constituent Assembly and passed in September 1791. The Constitution of 1791 sought to address several issues, including redefining the organisation of the French government, citizenship, and the limits of the powers of the government. It abolished the feudal system and limited the power of the king, creating a constitutional monarchy. The constitution also addressed the rights of citizens, including the right to life, freedom of speech, and equality before the law. However, it was not egalitarian by today's standards, as it distinguished between active citizens and passive citizens, with only the former having political rights.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| First written constitution in France | Established after the collapse of the absolute monarchy of the Ancien Régime |
| Retaining the monarchy | Sovereignty resided in the Legislative Assembly |
| Limited the powers of the monarchy | |
| Established popular sovereignty | |
| Established by the National Assembly | |
| Established during the French Revolution | |
| Abolished feudal geographic divisions | |
| Established a unicameral (one house) legislature | |
| Established a system for recurring elections | |
| Established a constitutional monarchy | |
| Established the rights of citizens | Right to life, freedom of speech, freedom of opinion, equality before the laws |
| Established the limits to the powers of government | |
| Established the separation of powers | |
| Established the executive branch | |
| Established the judiciary | |
| Established the right to vote | 'Active citizens' (males over 25 who paid annual taxes) |
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What You'll Learn
The limits of the monarchy's power
The Constitution of 1791 was France's first-ever written constitution, created after the collapse of the absolute monarchy of the Ancien Régime. It was drafted by the National Constituent Assembly and passed in September 1791. The constitution redefined the organisation of the French government, citizenship, and the limits to the powers of the government.
The constitution addressed the powers of the monarchy in France, which was a key issue at the time. It retained the monarchy, but sovereignty effectively resided in the Legislative Assembly, which was elected by a system of indirect voting. The king was allowed to select and appoint ministers and was granted a suspensive veto power, which could be overridden by three consecutive legislatures. This was to balance out the interests of the people and prevent the country from being ruled solely by the representatives' self-interest. However, the king's authority was weakened, and he came under the supervision of the government, making France a constitutional monarchy.
The constitution also addressed the issue of citizenship. It separated the population into two classes: 'active citizens' with political rights, and 'passive citizens' with only civil rights. 'Active citizens' were males over the age of 25 who paid annual taxes equivalent to at least three days' wages, while 'passive citizens' did not have the right to vote or stand for office. This distinction was intolerable to radical deputies such as Maximilien Robespierre, who could never be reconciled to the Constitution of 1791.
The constitution's attempt to balance the retention of the monarchy with emerging sentiments of republicanism and the revolutionary spirit of the time proved challenging. The king's flight to Varennes in June 1791 rendered the constitution unworkable, as it showed a lack of faith in the new system. As one observer noted, the king "appeared everywhere, but had no real power".
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The rights of citizens
The Constitution of 1791 was the first-ever written constitution of France, drafted by the National Constituent Assembly. It was an attempt to address the issues of the time, such as the collapse of the absolute monarchy of the Ancien Régime and the growing political radicalism of the French Revolution. The constitution aimed to redefine the organisation of the French government, citizenship, and the limits of governmental powers.
Rights of Citizens
The Constitution of 1791 aimed to protect the rights of citizens, guaranteeing the right to life, freedom of speech, freedom of opinion, and equality before the law. It also established the principles of liberty, equality, and fraternity. However, the constitution was not egalitarian by today's standards, as it distinguished between "active citizens" and "passive citizens".
Active citizens were defined as males over the age of 25 who paid annual taxes equivalent to at least three days' wages. They were entitled to political rights, including the right to vote and stand for office. On the other hand, passive citizens had only civil rights and did not have the right to vote or participate in governance. This distinction was based on property qualifications, which were common in 18th-century Europe.
The constitution also failed to grant women equal rights and liberties, such as education, freedom of speech, and freedom to worship.
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The role of the National Assembly
The Constitution of 1791 was the first-ever written constitution in France, created by the National Assembly during the French Revolution. The National Assembly played a pivotal role in drafting and shaping the content of this groundbreaking document.
The National Assembly was formed in the midst of the French Revolution, when the Third Estate (commoners) broke away from the Estates General, signalling a shift towards representative governance. On June 20, 1789, the deputies of the Third Estate, assembled as the National Assembly, pledged not to disband until France had a working constitution. This marked the beginning of the National Assembly's critical mission to draft a constitution that would define and limit the power of the government while protecting the rights of citizens.
The Assembly delegated the actual drafting of the constitution to a special constitutional committee, which began its work in July 1789. One of the most pressing issues they faced was defining the level of power granted to the king and the structure of the legislature. The committee proposed a bicameral legislature, but this was rejected in favour of a unicameral or single-house system. The question of royal power was more complex, and the committee settled on granting the king a suspensive veto, which could be overridden by three consecutive legislatures.
The National Assembly's belief in popular sovereignty and equal representation is reflected in the constitutional separation of powers. While the king and his ministers retained executive authority, the National Assembly became the legislative body, and an independent judiciary was established. The Assembly also abolished the feudal system, ending geographic divisions and creating a new territorial organisation for the French state.
The National Assembly's role in creating the Constitution of 1791 was significant, but it faced challenges. The document was a compromise between revolutionary ideals and the reality of a still-powerful monarchy. The Assembly attempted to balance these forces, but the result was a constitution that satisfied neither monarchists nor radicals. Despite its shortcomings and eventual failure, the National Assembly's work laid the foundation for constitutional governance in France and remains a pivotal moment in the country's political history.
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The issue of citizenship
"Active citizens" were defined as males over the age of 25 who paid annual taxes equivalent to at least three days' wages. They were entitled to vote and stand for office, while "passive citizens" did not have these political rights. This decision was influenced by the common belief in 18th-century Europe that voting was a privilege for those who owned property and paid taxes, rather than a natural right for all. However, this restriction on citizenship rights was not universally accepted, with radical deputies like Maximilien Robespierre strongly opposing it.
The National Assembly's approach to citizenship reflected its desire to reorganize the social structure and redefine the French state. By restricting voting rights to those who met the property and tax qualifications, they effectively limited the influence of the lower classes and maintained the privileges of the propertied elite. This decision had significant implications for the representation and participation of different social groups in the political process under the new constitutional monarchy.
In conclusion, the issue of citizenship in the Constitution of 1791 was a contentious aspect that reflected the National Assembly's efforts to redefine the French state and society. The distinction between "active" and "passive" citizens, while controversial, was indicative of the compromises made during the revolutionary period. The resolution of this issue helped shape the nature of political participation and representation in France, influencing the balance of power between different social groups.
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The structure of the government
The Constitution of 1791 was the first-ever written constitution in France, drafted by the National Constituent Assembly. It was an attempt to create a better form of royal government, rather than something radically new. The constitution redefined the organisation of the French government, citizenship, and the limits to the powers of the government.
The constitution retained the monarchy, but sovereignty resided in the Legislative Assembly, which was elected by a system of indirect voting. The franchise was restricted to "active citizens" who paid a minimum sum in taxes, about two-thirds of adult men. The king was granted a reduced civil list, allowed to select and appoint ministers, and given a suspensive veto power. This was to balance out the interests of the people, as the Assembly feared that if only representatives governed France, it would be ruled by their self-interest.
The constitution abolished the feudal system and many institutions that were considered injurious to liberty and equality of rights. It also formally abolished the previous feudal geographic divisions, and the territory of the French state was divided into several administrative units.
The constitution also addressed the rights of citizens, including the right to life, freedom of speech, freedom of opinion, and equality before the laws.
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Frequently asked questions
The French Constitution of 1791 was the first-ever written constitution in France, created after the collapse of the absolute monarchy of the Ancient Regime. It was an attempt to establish a better form of royal government, outlining the rights of citizens, the powers of the monarchy, and the role of the National Assembly.
The French Constitution of 1791 guaranteed the right to life, freedom of speech, freedom of opinion, and equality before the law. It also abolished the feudal system and limited the power of the king, establishing a constitutional monarchy.
The French Constitution of 1791 faced several issues, including the controversy surrounding the distinction between “active citizens" with political rights and “passive citizens" with only civil rights. It also struggled to balance the retention of the monarchy with emerging sentiments of republicanism and the revolutionary spirit of the time. Additionally, the king's attempt to escape Paris and the revolution in June 1791 compromised the constitution and rendered the constitutional monarchy unworkable.
