Eleanor Finch
The French Constitution of 1791 was the country's first attempt at a written national constitution, created after the collapse of the absolute monarchy of the Ancien Régime. It redefined the organisation of the French government, citizenship, and the limits of the government's powers. However, by the time it was adopted in September 1791, the constitution was already outdated, overtaken by the events of the revolution and growing political radicalism. This essay will explore the reasons why the French Constitution of 1791 failed, including the controversies surrounding citizenship and the powers granted to the king, as well as the impact of external events such as the Flight to Varennes and the rise of popular movements.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Reason for failure | The constitution was already outdated by the time it was adopted, overtaken by the events of the revolution and growing political radicalism. |
| Reason for failure | The constitution was unworkable due to the king's flight to Varennes in June 1791. |
| Reason for failure | The constitution failed to address the issue of citizenship in a way that satisfied all parties. |
| Reason for failure | The constitution was unable to reconcile the powers of the king with the new legislative assembly. |
| Reason for failure | The constitution was unable to prevent the rise of popular movements and the shift towards a more radical revolutionary discourse. |
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What You'll Learn
- The French Constitution of 1791 was outdated by the time it was adopted
- The document was drafted by a group of moderates
- The constitution retained the monarchy
- The Assembly redefined the organisation of the French government, citizenship and the limits to the powers of government
- The constitution was forced upon King Louis XVI
The French Constitution of 1791 was outdated by the time it was adopted
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, which had emerged in 1789, asserted its legal presence in the French government by establishing its permanence in the Constitution and forming a system for recurring elections. The Assembly's belief in a sovereign nation and in equal representation was reflected in the constitutional separation of powers. The legislative body was the National Assembly, the executive branch was the king and his royal ministers, and the judiciary was independent of the other two branches.
However, by the time the constitution was adopted in September 1791, it was already outdated. The onset of war and the threat of the revolution's collapse had shifted the political climate towards growing radicalism. The constitution retained the monarchy, but sovereignty effectively 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 amount of taxes, excluding a significant portion of the population from political rights. This distinction between active and passive citizens was intolerable to radical deputies such as Maximilien Robespierre, who could never be reconciled to the Constitution of 1791.
The constitution also amended Louis XVI's title from 'King of France' to 'King of the French', implying that his power emanated from the people and the law rather than divine right or national sovereignty. While the king retained certain powers, such as the right to form a cabinet and select and appoint ministers, his flight to Varennes in June 1791 rendered the constitutional monarchy unworkable. This event, along with the rise of the popular movement and the dynamic of revolutionary discourse, contributed to the collapse of the constitutional monarchy by August 1792.
The French Constitution of 1791 was thus short-lived, lasting only about a year before being overtaken by the more radical demands of the French Revolution. The failure of the constitution highlights the challenges of establishing a stable political system during a period of rapid social and political change.
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The document was drafted by a group of moderates
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 was drafted by a group of moderates from the National Assembly, known as the Constitutional Committee. This committee was convened on 14 July 1789, coincidentally the same day as the Storming of the Bastille.
The moderates of the Constitutional Committee aimed to create a better form of royal government, rather than something radically new. They wanted to redefine the French state and reorganize the social structure, while also legalizing the National Assembly. The committee proposed a bicameral legislature, but this was defeated in favour of a unicameral, or single-house, system. The king's powers were also a key point of contention, with the committee proposing an absolute veto, which was also defeated in favour of a suspensive veto that could be overridden.
The constitution was passed in September 1791, with King Louis XVI reluctantly accepting it, thus turning the absolute monarchy into a constitutional monarchy. The constitution amended Louis XVI's title to 'King of the French', implying his power came from the people and law, not divine right. It also reduced his civil list and gave him the right to select and appoint ministers.
However, by the time the constitution was adopted, it was already outdated. The onset of war, the king's use of his veto powers, and the growing influence of radicals like Robespierre, Danton, and Marat, all contributed to the constitution's eventual collapse. The Flight to Varennes in June 1791, and the subsequent Storming of the Tuileries Palace in August 1792, further rendered the constitutional monarchy unworkable.
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The constitution retained the monarchy
The French Constitution of 1791 was the country's first attempt at a written national constitution. It was drafted by the National Constituent Assembly and passed in September 1791. The constitution retained the monarchy, but the sovereignty effectively resided in the Legislative Assembly, which was elected by a system of indirect voting. The Assembly asserted its legal presence in the French government by establishing its permanence in the Constitution and forming a system for recurring elections. 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 redefined the organisation of the French government, citizenship, and the limits to the powers of government. It abolished many "institutions which were injurious to liberty and equality of rights". 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 retained the right to form a cabinet and select and appoint ministers. He was also granted a suspensive veto power, which could be overridden by three consecutive legislatures.
The main controversies early on surrounded the issues of what level of power to be granted to the king and what form the legislature would take. The Constitutional Committee proposed a bicameral legislature, but this was defeated in favour of a single house. The next day, they proposed an absolute veto, but this was again defeated in favour of a suspensive veto.
The constitution was reluctantly accepted by King Louis XVI in September 1791. However, the king's flight to Varennes in June 1791 rendered the constitution and the constitutional monarchy unworkable. Within a year, the monarchy had been overthrown, and the constitution had collapsed. The Legislative Assembly suspended the constitutional monarchy on 11 August 1792, and the monarchy was officially abolished on 21 September 1792, ending 203 years of consecutive Bourbon rule over France.
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The Assembly redefined the organisation of the French government, citizenship and the limits to the powers of government
The French Constitution of 1791 was the country's first attempt at a written national constitution, created after the collapse of the absolute monarchy of the Ancien Régime. The National Assembly, formed of moderates, wanted to redefine the social structure and legalise itself.
The Assembly redefined the organisation of the French government by asserting its legal presence in the Constitution and establishing a system for recurring elections. 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 Assembly also redefined the limits to the powers of government. The king's title was changed 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 the right to form a cabinet, select and appoint ministers, and he had the power to veto legislation. However, this veto power was suspensive and could be overridden by three consecutive legislatures. The king was also granted a reduced civil list, a reduction of around 20 million livres on his spending before the revolution.
The Assembly's redefinition of citizenship was controversial. The constitution restricted voting rights to 'active citizens', those over the age of 25 who paid a minimum amount of direct taxes. This meant that only around two-thirds of adult men had the right to vote for electors and to choose certain local officials directly. Those who were considered passive citizens had only civil rights and no political rights.
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The constitution was forced upon King Louis XVI
The French Constitution of 1791 was the country's first attempt at a written national constitution. 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 of the government's powers. It abolished many institutions that were considered injurious to liberty and equality of rights.
The constitution was drafted by a committee of the National Assembly, a group of moderates who aimed to create a better form of royal government. The Assembly wanted to reorganise the social structure and legalise itself. It retained the monarchy, but sovereignty effectively resided in the Legislative Assembly, which was elected by a system of indirect voting.
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 was granted a civil list (public funding) of 25 million livres, a reduction of around 20 million livres on his spending before the revolution. In terms of executive power, the king retained the right to form a cabinet and to select and appoint ministers. He also had the ability to veto legislation that he did not approve of, as legislation still needed Royal Assent to come into force.
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Frequently asked questions
The French Constitution of 1791 was France's first attempt at a written national constitution, created after the collapse of the absolute monarchy of the Ancien Régime. It redefined the organisation of the French government, citizenship and the limits to the powers of the government.
The French Constitution of 1791 failed because it was already outdated by the time it was adopted. The onset of war and the threat of the revolution's collapse led to growing political radicalism. The king's flight to Varennes in June 1791 also rendered the constitutional monarchy unworkable.
After the failure of the French Constitution of 1791, the monarchy was overthrown and the constitutional monarchy collapsed. The Legislative Assembly suspended the constitutional monarchy on 11 August 1792, and the freshly elected National Convention abolished the monarchy on 21 September 1792, ending 203 years of consecutive Bourbon rule over France.
