Omar Bennett
The National Assembly, also known as the Assemblée Nationale, was the governing body that issued the French Constitution of 1791, marking the beginning of the First French Republic. The Assembly was formed by representatives of the Third Estate on June 17, 1789, and renamed itself the National Constituent Assembly on July 9, 1789. The Constitution of 1791 was the first written constitution in France, inspired by Enlightenment theories and foreign political systems, and was created after the collapse of the absolute monarchy of the Ancien Régime. It retained the monarchy but subordinated the king's power to the law and the public good, with sovereignty effectively residing in the Legislative Assembly. The National Assembly also issued the Declaration of the Rights of Man and of the Citizen, which became the preamble to the constitution.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Year of issue | 1791 |
| Country | France |
| Type of government | Constitutional monarchy |
| Type of document | First written constitution in France |
| Legislative body | National Assembly |
| Executive branch | King and royal ministers |
| Judiciary | Independent of the other two branches |
| Powers of the king | Suspensive veto |
| Powers of the government | Defined and limited by the constitution |
| Rights | Universal, with equality under the law |
| Citizenship | Distinction between "active citizens" with political rights and "passive citizens" with only civil rights |
| Election of Legislative Assembly | Indirect voting |
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What You'll Learn
The French Constitution of 1791
Following the Tennis Court Oath, the National Assembly, which had become the effective government of France, began the process of drafting a constitution as its primary objective. The Assembly's belief in a sovereign nation and equal representation was reflected in the constitutional separation of powers. The National Assembly formed the legislative branch, the king and royal ministers constituted the executive branch, and the judiciary remained independent of the other two branches.
The Declaration of the Rights of Man and of the Citizen, adopted on August 26, 1789, served as the preamble to the constitution. This Declaration offered broad principles on rights, liberty, and sovereignty, promising equal rights to all subjects of the French Crown. However, the final constitution made a distinction between "active citizens" with political rights and "passive citizens" with only civil rights, with the former being restricted to males over 25 who paid direct taxes equivalent to three days' labour.
The National Assembly aimed to redefine the organization of the French government, citizenship, and the limits of governmental powers. It abolished institutions that were deemed detrimental to liberty and equality of rights, including the old feudal geographic divisions, and established a system of recurring elections. The Assembly also retained the monarchy, but sovereignty effectively resided in the Legislative Assembly, which was elected by indirect voting.
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The National Assembly's beliefs
The National Assembly, formed by representatives of the Third Estate, believed in a sovereign nation and equal representation. This is reflected in the constitutional separation of powers outlined in the French Constitution of 1791, which was the first written constitution in France. 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 Assembly wanted to retain the king but ensure his power was subordinate to the law and the public good. They wanted to redefine the social structure and legalise their own existence. The Assembly, as the framers of the constitution, were afraid that if only representatives governed France, it would be ruled by the representatives' self-interest. Therefore, the king was allowed a suspensive veto to balance out the interests of the people.
The Assembly's beliefs can also be seen in the Declaration of the Rights of Man and of the Citizen, published in 1789, which stated that the rights of man were universal and formed the basis for a nation of free individuals protected equally by law. This declaration became the preamble to the 1791 Constitution.
The Assembly was concerned with addressing the financial crisis, declaring that the property of the Church was "at the disposal of the nation". They also believed in the importance of popular sovereignty, as seen in their efforts to establish a constitutional monarchy and redefine the organisation of the French government, citizenship, and the limits to the government's powers.
Overall, the National Assembly's beliefs centred around creating a sovereign nation with equal representation, addressing financial issues, and establishing a constitutional monarchy with limited royal power.
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The Assembly's financial crisis
The National Assembly, formed in June 1789, was tasked with drafting a new constitution for France. The Assembly's preoccupation with constitutional affairs and the many competing ideas being debated meant that the financial crisis continued to go largely unaddressed, and the deficit kept increasing.
The financial crisis was caused by a combination of social, political, and economic factors, including an economic recession, bad harvests, and high unemployment. The monarchy had also borrowed heavily to fund the Anglo-French War of 1778-1783, which resulted in a debt crisis. By 1788, half of the state's revenue was needed to service its debt. The population had grown, and the food supply could not keep up, leading to rising food prices and widespread starvation in rural areas.
In an attempt to address the financial crisis, the Assembly gave Jacques Necker complete financial dictatorship. The old judicial system, based on 13 regional parliaments, was suspended in November 1789 and officially abolished in September 1790. The Assembly also declared that the property of the Church was "at the disposal of the nation." However, these measures did not resolve the financial crisis, and the National Assembly continued to face economic challenges.
In addition to the financial crisis, the National Assembly had to navigate competing interests and ideologies within its ranks. The leading forces within the Assembly included conservative foes of the revolution ("The Right"), Monarchiens who favored a British-style constitutional monarchy, and "the Left," who supported the revolution and democracy. The National Assembly's efforts to draft a new constitution and address the financial crisis were further complicated by the social and political upheaval of the French Revolution, which included the storming of the Bastille on July 14, 1789, and the abolition of feudalism.
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The Assembly's two factions
The National Assembly, formed by representatives of the Third Estate, renamed itself the National Constituent Assembly on 9 July 1789 and began to function as a governing body and constitution-drafter. The Assembly was made up of two factions: the conservative foes of the revolution ("The Right"), and "the Left", a group that supported the revolution and democracy.
The Right, or the Monarchiens, was led by Mounier and the Marquis de Lafayette. This faction favoured a bicameral (double-chamber) legislature and the retention of strong executive powers for the king, including an absolute veto. They wanted to retain the king but ensure that his executive power was subordinate to both the law and the public good. They also wanted to preserve a number of powers for the Crown, such as the nomination of ambassadors, military leaders, and ministers.
The Left, led by Sieyès and Talleyrand, wanted a strong unicameral (single-chamber) legislature and a monarchy with very limited power. They believed in a sovereign nation and in equal representation, which can be seen in the constitutional separation of powers. 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 Assembly, as constitution-framers, were afraid that if only representatives governed France, it was likely to be ruled by the representatives' self-interest. Therefore, the king was allowed a suspensive veto to balance out the interests of the people. By the same token, representative democracy weakened the king’s executive authority.
The National Assembly's greatest controversy surrounded the issue of citizenship. Would every subject of the French Crown be given equal rights, as the Declaration of Rights of Man and Citizen seemed to promise, or would there be some restrictions? Eventually, the committee decided to separate the population into two classes: "active citizens" (those entitled to vote and stand for office) and "passive citizens" (those who were not).
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The Assembly's role in the French Revolution
The National Assembly played a pivotal role in the French Revolution, which began in 1789. It was the first revolutionary government of the French Revolution, formed by the representatives of the Third Estate (the common people) of the Estates-General. The Third Estate felt that the voting system was unfair as they represented 98% of the people but could still be outvoted by the other two estates—the First Estate (clergy) and the Second Estate (nobility).
The National Assembly was established on June 17, 1789, when the Third Estate declared themselves redefined as the National Assembly, an assembly of the people, not of the estates. It was originally made up of mostly members of the Third Estate, but many clergy and nobility representatives soon joined as anger towards the monarchy of King Louis XVI spread. On July 9, the Assembly renamed itself the National Constituent Assembly and began to function as a governing body and constitution-drafter.
The Assembly's primary objective was to draft a constitution, with the Declaration of the Rights of Man and of the Citizen, adopted on August 26, 1789, becoming the preamble to the eventual constitution. The Declaration offered sweeping generalizations about rights, liberty, and sovereignty, directly challenging the authority of King Louis XVI. It stated that the rights of man were universal, becoming the basis for a nation of free individuals protected equally by law.
The Assembly also passed various laws to address the financial crisis, including declaring that the property of the Church was "at the disposal of the nation." It suspended the old judicial system, based on 13 regional parliaments, in November 1789, and officially abolished it in September 1790. In 1790, religious orders were dissolved, and the Civil Constitution of the Clergy turned the remaining clergy into employees of the state.
The National Assembly ruled France in some way for around 10 years, functioning as the effective government of France after the storming of the Bastille on July 14, 1789. It passed the Constitution of 1791, which turned France into a constitutional monarchy, redefining the organization of the French government, citizenship, and the limits to the powers of government. The Assembly's belief in a sovereign nation and equal representation can be seen in the constitutional separation of powers. The Assembly was the legislative body, the king and royal ministers made up the executive branch, and the judiciary was independent.
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Frequently asked questions
The National Assembly issued the French Constitution of 1791 on 3 September 1791.
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 National Assembly was the legislative body that drafted the French Constitution of 1791. It was formed by representatives of the Third Estate on 17 June 1789 and renamed the National Constituent Assembly on 9 July 1789.
The French Constitution of 1791 was based on the principles of constitutionality and popular sovereignty. It redefined the organisation of the French government, citizenship, and the limits to the powers of government. It abolished many institutions that were considered injurious to liberty and equality of rights.
By the time the French Constitution of 1791 was adopted, it was already outdated due to the ongoing revolution and growing political radicalism. It lasted less than a year as it was fatally compromised by the king's betrayal and lack of interest in constitutional government.
