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Context

• The French National Day, celebrated on July 14 each year, marks the storming of the Bastille prison in Paris in 1789.
• This event is crucial in French history as it sparked the French Revolution and the end of the old monarchy.

Antecedents: Crisis of the Ancien Régime

• Ancien Régime Context: Refers to the socio-political system in pre-revolutionary France.
• Monarchy's Decline: By the mid-18th century, the monarchy was weakened and ineffective.
• Budgetary Issues: Revenues were insufficient to cover expenditures, particularly heavy military spending.
• Tax Burden: Fell disproportionately on the peasantry, exacerbating their poverty.

Material Conditions

• Crop Failures and Famine: Severe agricultural crises in the 1770s and 1780s.
• Bread Affordability: By 1788, even bread had become unaffordable for a vast majority of people, leading to severe social unrest.
• Lavish Nobility: Despite widespread hardship, the monarchy and aristocracy maintained extravagant lifestyles, symbolized by anecdotes like "Let them eat cake", often attributed to Queen Marie Antoinette.
• Symbolic Injustice: King Louis XVI and Queen Marie Antoinette epitomized the unfairness of the ancien régime.

Intellectual and Social Catalysts

• Enlightenment Ideas: Spread ideas of democracy and equality, challenging traditional authority.
• Ripe for Revolution: The combination of economic hardship and Enlightenment principles created fertile ground for revolutionary sentiments.

Revolution Foments: Failure of the Estates-General

• Introduction of Estates-General: In 1788, King Louis XVI summoned the Estates-General, a body comprising the clergy (First Estate), nobility (Second Estate), and commoners (Third Estate), which last met in 1614.
• Representation Disparity: Despite the Third Estate outnumbering the clergy and nobility combined, each Estate had one vote, giving the clergy and nobility significant power.
• Third Estate's Campaign: By autumn 1788, efforts to increase Third Estate influence within the Estates-General had little success.
• Formation of the National Assembly: On June 17, 1789, feeling unrepresented, the Third Estate broke away and formed the National Assembly. On June 20, they took the Tennis Court Oath, vowing not to disband until a new Constitution was established.
• Louis XVI's Response: Fearing loss of authority, Louis XVI moved troops to Paris and dismissed Jacques Necker, a popular minister, on July 12, 1789.
• Outbreak of Revolution: These actions fuelled discontent in Paris, leading to armed revolution breaking out amidst simmering tensions.

These events marked a significant turning point, as the failure of the Estates-General to address grievances led directly to the revolutionary actions of 1789 in France.

Revolution Begins: Storming of the Bastille

• Date and Location: July 14, 1789, at the Bastille, a medieval fortress-prison in Paris.
• Symbolism of the Bastille: The Bastille had become a potent symbol of royal tyranny and oppression under the monarchy. It was used to imprison individuals without trial, often on the orders of the monarch, symbolizing arbitrary royal power.

Events Leading to the Storming:

• Growing Discontent: By 1789, France was in turmoil due to economic hardships, social inequality, and political discontent. The Estates-General had been convened earlier in the year, reflecting widespread dissatisfaction with the monarchy's policies.
• Rising Popular Unrest: On July 14, a significant armed mob, fueled by popular anger against the monarchy and inspired by the recent dismissal of Jacques Necker (a popular minister), marched towards the Bastille.

The Storming of the Bastille:

• Initial Standoff: The mob initially attempted to negotiate with Bernard-René de Launay, the governor of the Bastille. However, negotiations failed, and tensions escalated.
• Governor's Response: De Launay, fearing for the fortress's security, ordered his troops to open fire on the crowd.
• Mutiny and Reinforcements: French soldiers, sympathetic to the revolutionary cause and resentful of their officers, mutinied and joined the mob, bringing additional firepower and determination.
• Falling of the Bastille: After hours of intense fighting, the Bastille fell to the revolutionary forces. The storming resulted in the death of Governor de Launay, who was killed by the mob.
• Symbolic Importance: The fall of the Bastille symbolized the people's defiance against royal authority and marked the beginning of the French Revolution. It was seen as a decisive moment where the populace took direct action against oppression and asserted their power.

Immediate and Long-term Impact:

• Immediate Consequences: The storming of the Bastille ignited revolutionary fervor across France. It emboldened people to challenge the authority of the monarchy and sparked further uprisings.
• Symbol of Revolution: The destruction of the Bastille in the following months symbolically represented the end of feudalism and the old regime's structures.
• Political Changes: The events at the Bastille contributed to the dismantling of feudal privileges, the drafting of the Declaration of the Rights of Man and of the Citizen, and the broader revolutionary changes that reshaped France.

Historical Perspective:

• Contemporary Accounts: The storming of the Bastille was portrayed in contemporary accounts and later historical narratives as a pivotal moment in the history of popular revolutions. It highlighted the power of collective action and the people's determination to challenge entrenched authority.

Legacy:

• Cultural and Political Legacy: The storming of the Bastille remains a powerful symbol of popular resistance and revolution worldwide.
• It continues to be commemorated annually in France as Bastille Day, a national holiday celebrating the ideals of liberty, equality, and fraternity.

Remembering Revolution: Choosing Bastille Day

• The French monarchy was abolished in 1792, and King Louis XVI was guillotined a year later, marking the end of the monarchy's rule during the Revolution.
• Despite the ideals of "Liberté, égalité, fraternité" (liberty, equality, fraternity), the Revolution did not fully achieve lasting political stability or social equality.
• Political violence and instability persisted until Napoleon Bonaparte seized power in 1799, effectively ending the revolutionary period.
• Since 1790, the storming of the Bastille has been commemorated annually, often with elaborate ceremonies that included burning replicas of the Bastille.
• Under Napoleon's rule and after the monarchy's brief return in 1815, these celebrations became more subdued.
• In 1879, July 14 was officially designated as France's National Day by Republican President Jules Grévy.
• Initially controversial due to its violent history, July 14 was also celebrated as the Fête de la Fédération in 1790, emphasizing national unity alongside revolutionary ideals.

PRACTICE QUESTION Q. Discuss the impact of the French Revolution on global political ideologies and its relevance to contemporary India. How have the principles and events of the French Revolution influenced modern democratic movements and governance practices?

SOURCE: THE INDIAN EXPRESS