Omar Bennett
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 Assembly, a group of moderates who aimed to create a better form of royal government. The main objective of the constitution was to limit the powers of the king and the clergy, and to redefine the organisation of the French government, citizenship, and the limits of the government's powers. The constitution retained the monarchy, but sovereignty resided in the Legislative Assembly, which was elected by a system of indirect voting.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Type of Document | Political |
| Objective | To limit the powers of the king and the clergy and nobility |
| Monarchy | Retained but sovereignty resided in the Legislative Assembly |
| Legislative Assembly | Elected by a system of indirect voting |
| Franchise | Restricted to "active citizens" who paid taxes; about two-thirds of adult men could vote |
| Active Citizens | Males over 25 who paid taxes equivalent to at least three days' wages |
| King's Title | Changed from "King of France" to "King of the French" |
| King's Powers | Executive authority weakened; right to form a cabinet and appoint ministers retained; granted suspensive veto |
| Duration | Lasted only a year due to the French Revolutionary Wars |
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What You'll Learn
The objective was to limit the powers 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 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 drafted by the National Assembly, a group of moderates who hoped to create a better form of royal government rather than something radically new. The assembly set out to represent the interests of the general will and redefine the organisation of the French government, citizenship, and the limits to the powers of government. 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 was not egalitarian by today's standards. It distinguished between 'active citizens' and 'passive citizens'. Active citizens, who had political rights, were males over the age of 25 who paid annual taxes equivalent to at least three days' wages. Passive citizens, who had only civil rights, did not have the right to vote or stand for office.
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 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.
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The constitution aimed to redefine the French government
The French Constitution of 1791 was the first written constitution in France. It was created after the collapse of the absolute monarchy of the Ancien Régime. The constitution aimed to redefine the French government by reorganising the government, citizenship, and the limits to the powers of the government.
The constitution was drafted by the National Assembly, a group of moderates who hoped to create a better form of royal government. The Assembly believed in a sovereign nation and 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 constitution also amended Louis XVI's title from 'King of France' to 'King of the French'. This implied that the king's power came 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, but his spending was reduced by around 20 million livres.
The constitution also established a system for recurring elections and abolished the previous feudal geographic divisions, dividing the territory of the French state into several administrative units. It also 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.
Overall, the constitution aimed to redefine the French government by establishing a constitutional monarchy, limiting the powers of the king, and creating a system of checks and balances with separate legislative, executive, and judicial branches.
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It was to establish popular sovereignty
The French Constitution of 1791 was the first written constitution in France. It was created after the collapse of the absolute monarchy of the Ancien Régime. One of the basic precepts of the French Revolution was adopting constitutionality and establishing popular sovereignty. The National Assembly, as the constitution-framers, 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 Constitution of 1791 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 deputies of the Third Estate believed any reforms to the French state must be outlined in and guaranteed by a written constitution. Such a document would become the fundamental law of the nation, defining and limiting the power of the government, and protecting the rights of citizens.
The Constitution of 1791 redefined the organisation of the French government, citizenship, and the limits to the powers of government. The National Assembly set out to represent the interests of the general will. It abolished many “institutions which were injurious to liberty and equality of rights”. The Assembly's belief in a sovereign nation and in equal representation 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 Constitution of 1791 also introduced a distinction 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 and had political rights. 'Passive citizens' had only civil rights. This was a property qualification on voting rights, which seems grossly unfair by today's standards but was relatively common in 18th-century Europe.
The Constitution of 1791 was France's first attempt at a national constitution, inspired by Enlightenment theories and foreign political systems. It was passed in September 1791 and established a constitutional monarchy in France, with the king's power emanating from the people and the law, not from divine right or national sovereignty.
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The document was to uphold the rights of citizens
The US Constitution's first ten amendments, also known as the Bill of Rights, became law in 1791. The Bill of Rights was added to the Constitution to uphold citizens' rights and limit government power. It defined citizens' rights in relation to the newly established government under the Constitution.
The Constitution was drafted by delegates from the 13 states in 1787 and set up a system of checks and balances that included a strong executive branch, a representative legislature, and a federal judiciary. However, it was criticised for not including a bill of rights that specified what the government could not do and for not applying to everyone. Several state conventions demanded a "bill of rights" that would spell out the immunities of individual citizens.
The Bill of Rights was inspired by Thomas Jefferson, who argued:
> "A bill of rights is what the people are entitled to against every government on earth, general or particular, and what no just government should refuse, or rest on inference."
The amendments were drafted by James Madison and became law in 1791. They were designed to protect individual liberties and limit government power. For example, the First Amendment protects citizens' freedom of speech and religion, while the Fourth Amendment safeguards citizens' right to be free from unreasonable government intrusion in their homes through the requirement of a warrant.
While the Bill of Rights was a significant step forward in upholding citizens' rights, it is important to note that it excluded certain groups, such as women and Native Americans, who were not granted the same rights and liberties as white male property owners.
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The constitution was to retain the monarchy
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 retained the monarchy, but sovereignty effectively resided in the Legislative Assembly, which was elected by a system of indirect voting. 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 constitution redefined the organisation of the French government, citizenship, and the limits to the powers of government. The National Assembly set out to represent the interests of the general will. It abolished many “institutions which were injurious to liberty and equality of rights”. The Assembly's belief in a sovereign nation and in equal representation 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 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 retained the right to form a cabinet and to select and appoint ministers. He was also granted a suspensive veto to balance out the interests of the people, which could be overridden by three consecutive legislatures.
The constitution was reluctantly accepted by King Louis XVI in September 1791. However, by the time it was adopted, it was already outdated, overtaken by the events of the revolution and growing political radicalism. France now had a constitutional monarchy, but the monarch, by his actions, had shown no faith in the constitution. The constitution lasted less than a year, ending with the overthrow of the monarchy and the establishment of the French First Republic after the Insurrection of 10 August 1792.
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Frequently asked questions
The main objective of the 1791 French Constitution was to limit the powers of the king.
The 1791 French Constitution 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.
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.
