Malcolm Rivera
The French Constitution of 1791 was the country's first written constitution, created after the collapse of the absolute monarchy of the Ancien Régime. It was the result of the French Revolution's basic precepts of adopting constitutionality and establishing popular sovereignty. The constitution was important because it redefined the organisation of the French government, citizenship, and the limits of the government's powers. It abolished institutions that were injurious to liberty and equality of rights, retained the monarchy, and established the Legislative Assembly as the body in which sovereignty effectively resided.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| First written constitution in France | N/A |
| Established after the collapse of the absolute monarchy of the Ancien Régime | N/A |
| Created by the National Assembly | N/A |
| Redefined the organisation of the French government | N/A |
| Redefined citizenship | N/A |
| Redefined the limits of the powers of government | N/A |
| Abolished institutions that were injurious to liberty and equality of rights | N/A |
| Established the National Assembly's legal presence in the French government | N/A |
| Established a system for recurring elections | N/A |
| Established the constitutional separation of powers | N/A |
| Abolished previous feudal geographic divisions | N/A |
| Divided the territory of the French state into several administrative units, or "Départements" | N/A |
| Retains the monarchy | N/A |
| Effectively placed sovereignty in the Legislative Assembly | N/A |
| Restricted franchise to "active" citizens who paid a minimal sum in taxes | About two-thirds of adult men |
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What You'll Learn
The first written constitution in France
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 was the culmination of the French Revolution's basic precepts of adopting constitutionality and establishing popular sovereignty.
Following the Tennis Court Oath, the National Assembly began the process of drafting the constitution as its primary objective. The Assembly's belief in a sovereign nation and in equal representation is reflected 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 abolished many institutions that were "injurious to liberty and equality of rights". It redefined the organisation of the French government, citizenship, and the limits of governmental powers. On a local level, the previous feudal geographic divisions were formally abolished, and the territory of the French state was divided into several administrative units, or "Départements".
The franchise was restricted to "active" citizens who paid a minimal sum in taxes, with about two-thirds of adult men having the right to vote for electors and choose certain local officials directly. The Assembly, as 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.
The constitution was reluctantly accepted by King Louis XVI in September 1791. However, within a year, the monarchy had been overthrown, and the Constitution of 1791 had collapsed.
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Established popular sovereignty
The French Constitution of 1791 was the first written constitution in France, marking a significant shift from the absolute monarchy of the Ancien Régime to a constitutional monarchy. This constitution played a pivotal role in establishing popular sovereignty and redefining the relationship between the state and its citizens.
One of the fundamental principles of the French Revolution was the establishment of popular sovereignty, and the Constitution of 1791 was a concrete manifestation of this ideal. The National Assembly, which was both a legislature and a constitutional convention, took on the momentous task of drafting this groundbreaking document. The Assembly's belief in a sovereign nation and equal representation was enshrined in the constitutional separation of powers.
The constitution recognised the Legislative Assembly as the embodiment of popular sovereignty, with sovereignty effectively residing in this elected body. The franchise was restricted to "active" citizens, generally defined as those who paid a minimal sum in taxes, resulting in about two-thirds of adult men having the right to vote for electors and select certain local officials directly. This system of indirect voting allowed the people of France to exercise their sovereignty by choosing their representatives and, by extension, shaping the direction of the nation.
The National Assembly's assertion of its legal presence in the French government was another demonstration of popular sovereignty. By establishing its permanence in the Constitution and instituting a system of recurring elections, the Assembly ensured its role as the legislative branch, separate from the executive branch comprising the king and royal ministers, and the independent judiciary. This separation of powers was a crucial mechanism for safeguarding the interests and rights of the people.
The Constitution of 1791 also addressed the issue of citizenship, a highly contentious topic at the time. A distinction was made between "active citizens", who held political rights, and "passive citizens", who did not. "Active citizens" were typically defined as those over the age of 25 who paid direct taxes equivalent to three days' labour. This differentiation ensured that a significant portion of the population had a direct stake in the political process and could actively participate in shaping the country's future.
In conclusion, the French Constitution of 1791 was a landmark document that established popular sovereignty by redistributing power from the absolute monarchy to the people of France. Through the creation of a constitutional monarchy, a system of checks and balances, and the expansion of political rights, the Constitution of 1791 laid the foundation for a more democratic and representative form of government in France.
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Redefined 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. It was formulated by the National Assembly, which was both a legislature and a constitutional convention. The constitution redefined the organisation of the French government, citizenship, and the limits to the powers of the 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 Assembly's belief in a sovereign nation and in equal representation was reflected in the constitutional separation of powers. 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 constitution abolished many institutions that were considered detrimental to liberty and equality of rights. On a local level, the previous feudal geographic divisions were formally abolished, and the territory of the French state was divided into several administrative units, or departments. The Assembly, as the framers of the constitution, wanted to prevent the country from being ruled by the representatives' self-interest, so the king was allowed a suspensive veto.
The main controversies surrounding the constitution included the level of power to be granted to the king and the 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 also defeated in favour of a suspensive veto, which could be overridden by three consecutive legislatures.
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 minimal sum in taxes, resulting in about two-thirds of adult men having the right to vote for electors and choose certain local officials directly.
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Set out rights, liberty and 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. The constitution was important as it set out rights, liberty, and sovereignty, redefining the organisation of the French government, citizenship, and the limits of the government's powers.
The constitution was the result of the National Assembly's primary objective to draft a constitution following the Tennis Court Oath. The Declaration of the Rights of Man and of the Citizen, adopted on 26 August 1789, became the preamble of the constitution. This Declaration offered sweeping generalisations about rights, liberty, and sovereignty.
The National Assembly's belief in a sovereign nation and in equal representation was demonstrated 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 of the other two branches. 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, generally defined as those over the age of 25 who paid direct taxes equal to three days' labour. About two-thirds of adult men had the right to vote for electors and to choose certain local officials directly. The Assembly also established its permanence in the Constitution and formed a system for recurring elections.
The constitution abolished many institutions that were considered injurious to liberty and equality of rights. On a local level, previous feudal geographic divisions were formally abolished, and the territory of the French state was divided into several administrative units, known as "Departments" (Départements).
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Established a constitutional 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. The constitution was important because it established a constitutional monarchy, with sovereignty effectively residing in the Legislative Assembly, which was elected by a system of indirect voting. The Legislative Assembly was committed to establishing a constitutional regime, with the king retaining a role but with limited powers.
The National Assembly, which drafted the constitution, was both a legislature and a constitutional convention. This meant that it was not always clear when its decrees were constitutional articles or mere statutes, and a committee was formed to sort this out. This committee became very important after the Champs de Mars Massacre, when there was a wave of revulsion against popular movements and a renewed effort to preserve powers for the Crown. The result was the rise of the Feuillants, a new political faction led by Barnave, who used his position on the committee to preserve a number of powers for the king, such as the nomination of ambassadors, military leaders, and ministers.
The main controversies surrounding the constitution early on were the level of power to be granted to the king and the form of the legislature. 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 also defeated in favour of a suspensive veto, which could be overridden by three consecutive legislatures. The king was allowed a suspensive veto to ensure that France was not ruled solely by representatives, which could lead to the country being ruled by their self-interest.
The constitution abolished many institutions that were considered injurious to liberty and equality of rights. It also established the National Assembly's legal presence in the French government by asserting 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 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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Frequently asked questions
The French Constitution of 1791 was the first written constitution in France, and it was important because it abolished many institutions that were considered injurious to liberty and equality of rights. It also redefined the organisation of the French government, citizenship, and the limits to the powers of government.
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 minimal sum in taxes, and about two-thirds of adult men had the right to vote for electors and choose certain local officials directly.
One of the main controversies was the level of power to be granted to the king of France, 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 committee also proposed an absolute veto, but this was defeated in favour of a suspensive veto, which could be overridden by three consecutive legislatures.
