Simone Lawson
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 main controversies early on surrounded the issues of what level of power to be granted to the king of France and what form the legislature would take. The Constitution retained the monarchy, but sovereignty effectively resided in the Legislative Assembly, which was elected by a system of indirect voting. The feudal system was abolished, and all citizens were to be treated equally, removing any division levels that previously existed. The constitution also guaranteed the right to life, freedom of speech, and freedom of opinion.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| First written constitution in France | The Constitution of 1791 was the first written constitution in France, drafted by a committee of the National Assembly. |
| Inspired by | Enlightenment theories and foreign political systems |
| Type of government | Constitutional monarchy |
| Power | Sovereignty resided in the Legislative Assembly, which was elected by a system of indirect voting. |
| Voting rights | Voting rights were extended to around 4.3 million Frenchmen, but only to those who owned property and paid tax. |
| Citizens | Citizens were divided into two classes: 'active citizens' (those entitled to vote and stand for office) and 'passive citizens' (those who were not). |
| Equality | All citizens were to be treated equally, removing any division levels that previously existed, such as the first, second, and third estates. |
| Rights | The right to life, freedom of speech, freedom of opinion, and equality before the laws were guaranteed. |
| Feudal system | The feudal system was abolished. |
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What You'll Learn
- The French Constitution of 1791 was the first written constitution in France
- The document redefined the organisation of the French government
- It retained the monarchy, but sovereignty resided in the Legislative Assembly
- The constitution abolished the feudal system and limited the power of the king
- It distinguished between 'active citizens' and 'passive citizens'
The French Constitution of 1791 was the first written constitution in France
The constitution retained the monarchy, but sovereignty effectively resided in the Legislative Assembly, which was elected by a system of indirect voting. The king's power was limited, and he came under the supervision of the government, making France a constitutional monarchy. The constitution amended Louis XVI's title from 'King of France' to 'King of the French', implying that the king's power emanated from the people and the law, not from divine right or national sovereignty.
The constitution abolished the feudal system, removing the privileges of the nobles and the clergy, who were now treated as normal citizens. It also abolished the previous feudal geographic divisions and formally established the National Assembly's legal presence in the French government. The Assembly's belief in a sovereign nation and equal representation was reflected in the constitutional separation of powers.
The constitution distinguished between ''active citizens' with political rights and 'passive citizens' with only civil rights. 'Active citizens' were males over the age of 25 who paid taxes equivalent to at least three days' wages, effectively a property qualification on voting rights. This was controversial, as some radicals demanded that voting rights be granted to all men, regardless of earnings or property.
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The document redefined the organisation of the French government
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 document redefined the organisation of the French government, citizenship, and the limits to the powers of the government.
The constitution retained the monarchy, but sovereignty effectively resided in the Legislative Assembly, which was elected by a system of indirect voting. The National Assembly was the legislative body, the king and royal ministers made up the executive branch, and the judiciary was independent of the other two branches. The constitution amended Louis XVI's title from 'King of France' to 'King of the French', implying that the king's power emanated from the people and the law, not from divine right or national sovereignty. The king came under the supervision of the government, making France a constitutional monarchy.
The constitution abolished the feudal system, removing the privileges of the nobles and the clergy, and treating them as normal citizens. On a local level, the previous feudal geographic divisions were formally abolished, and the territory of the French state was divided into several administrative departments.
The constitution also addressed the issue of citizenship. The committee decided to separate the population into two classes: 'active citizens' (those entitled to vote and stand for office, defined as males over the age of 25 who paid annual taxes equivalent to at least three days' wages) and 'passive citizens' (those who had civil rights but were not entitled to vote or hold office). This distinction was intolerable to radical deputies such as Maximilien Robespierre, who could never be reconciled to the Constitution of 1791.
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It retained the monarchy, but sovereignty resided in the Legislative Assembly
The French Constitution of 1791 was the country's first attempt at a written constitution. It was created by the National Assembly during the French Revolution, after the collapse of the absolute monarchy of the Ancien Régime. The constitution redefined the organisation of the French government, citizenship, and the limits to the powers of government.
The constitution retained the monarchy, but the king's power was subordinate to the law and the public good. The Assembly wanted to retain the king, but they also wanted to ensure that his executive power was limited. This presented the Assembly with two concerns: finding a constitutional role for the king and determining what political powers, if any, he should retain.
The constitution amended Louis XVI's title from 'King of France' to 'King of the French'. This implied that the king's power emanated from the people and the law, not from divine right or national sovereignty. The king was granted a reduced civil list, allowed to select and appoint ministers, and given a suspensive veto power. This meant he could deny assent to bills and withhold this assent for up to five years. After this time, if assent had not been granted by the king, the Assembly could enact the bill without his approval.
The constitution also established the Legislative Assembly, which was elected by a system of indirect voting. The franchise was restricted to "active" citizens who paid a minimal sum in taxes. About two-thirds of adult men had the right to vote for electors and to choose certain local officials directly. The National Assembly was the legislative body, the king and royal ministers made up the executive branch, and the judiciary was independent of the other two branches.
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The constitution abolished the feudal system and limited the power of the king
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 was passed in September 1791 and was the first of several attempts to create a written constitution for France.
The constitution amended King Louis XVI's title from 'King of France' to 'King of the French'. This implied that the king's power emanated from the people and the law, not from divine right or national sovereignty. The king retained the right to form a cabinet and select and appoint ministers. However, the constitution granted the king a suspensive veto, which could be overridden by three consecutive legislatures. The constitution also reduced the king's spending by around 20 million livres.
The constitution was drafted by a committee of the National Assembly, a group of moderates who hoped to create a better form of royal government rather than something radically new. The National Assembly was the legislative body, the king and royal ministers made up the executive branch, and the judiciary was independent of the other two branches.
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It distinguished between 'active citizens' and 'passive citizens'
The Constitution of 1791 was France's first written constitution, drafted by the National Constituent Assembly. It was passed in September 1791 and reluctantly accepted by King Louis XVI, who had attempted to block it by fleeing to Varennes in June 1791. The Constitution amended the king's title from 'King of France' to 'King of the French', implying that his power derived from the people and the law, not from divine right or national sovereignty. It also granted him a reduced civil list and allowed him to select and appoint ministers, while giving him a suspensive veto power.
The Constitution of 1791 distinguished between 'active citizens' and 'passive citizens'. Active citizens were 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. On the other hand, passive citizens were those who did not have the right to vote or participate in government. This included women, men below the age of 25, children, and men over 25 who did not meet the tax requirements. Passive citizens were entitled to legal protection for their belongings and liberty but had no say in the formation of government bodies.
The distinction between active and passive citizens was a controversial aspect of the Constitution. While it extended voting rights to around 4.3 million Frenchmen, it excluded a significant portion of the population, particularly the poorer citizens. This property qualification on voting rights was common in 18th-century Europe but would be considered unfair by today's standards of universal suffrage.
The issue of citizenship was a key controversy during the drafting of the Constitution. The National Assembly had to grapple with the question of whether every subject of the French Crown would be granted equal rights or if there would be restrictions. The distinction between active and passive citizens was a compromise, but it was intolerable to radical deputies like Maximilien Robespierre, who could never reconcile with the Constitution because of it.
The Constitution of 1791 was an important step in redefining the organisation of the French government, the limits of its powers, and the rights of its citizens. However, by the time it was adopted, it was already outdated due to the rapidly evolving political landscape and growing political radicalism.
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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 main controversies included the level of power to be granted to the king of France and the form the legislature would take. Another issue was who would have the right to vote.
The king's power was limited, and he was put under the supervision of the government, making France a constitutional monarchy. The legislature took the form of a single house. The population was divided into two classes: 'active citizens' (those entitled to vote and stand for office) and 'passive citizens' (those who were not).
The constitution guaranteed the right to life, freedom of speech, freedom of opinion, and equality before the laws.
The constitution abolished the feudal system, removing the privileges of the nobles and the clergy and treating them as normal citizens. It also retained the monarchy, but sovereignty resided in the Legislative Assembly, which was elected by a system of indirect voting.
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