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ter> Essay Topic: Discuss the motives of the Committee of Public Safety and the role they played in the running of France (up to 27 July 1794) Anarchy within, invasion without. A country cracking from outside pressure, disintegrating from internal strain. Revolution at its height This was the country the Committee of Public Safety (The committee), inherited and it was announced their mission by the Convention, to create a viable (republican) state amid political turmoil, by means of intimidation and ultimately terror, indeed the proclamation of terror as the order of the day so as to establish a peaceful, stable government for the introduction of the constitution. The aim of constitutional government is to preserve republic. The aim of revolutionary government is to establish it This was to be achieved by the passing of laws and controls necessary to strike terror in the hearts of counter revolutionaries. However as is revealed through their actions and policies, the Committee had ulterior motives, harnessing Jacobin ideals.
During the years of terror, ending July 27 th 1794, the Committee established themselves within the running of France, by assuming control of areas of the economy, sections of war and munitions, as well as education and supply and provisioning as part of their bid for ultimate change. laws passed went beyond national safety and revealed a Jacobin social vision for a secular and republican education system and a national program of social welfare. The terror was their weapon, with which to establish and restructure areas of education, war and munitions, provisioning and supply, and ultimately change the very principles and traditions daily life relied upon. It became both their motive, and their mission, and it was part of their role which they played in the running of France. No longer was The central purpose of the terror to institute the emergency and draconian measures necessary at a time of military crisis, but rather to establish an official ideology from which would stem republicanism and other Jacobin ideals. The Committee were able to acquire control over the Convention and the industries of France, by relying on the support of Jacobin members of the Convention.
The national convention claimed sovereign authority, but in half of France its authority was denied... It is for this reason that they were able to create a virtual dictatorship over France and introduce policies such as the policy of Suspects, and the Law of 22 Prairial, (June 10, 1794), which suspended a suspects right to a public trial and to legal assistance. This highlights the reasons the Committee were a highly powerful and influential organization, and that laws passed gave them powers to further establish their ideology and establish French society through Jacobin ideals. The introduction of the General Maximum, a pricing control over goods, was introduced, whilst other initiatives were the massive mobilization of military resources, including conscription, and the introduction of a formal education system, with a curriculum emphasizing patriotism and republican virtues... as well as linguistic uniformity.
This shows the comprehensive role the committee really had over the running and structure of institutions within France, and, On the one hand their was the public interest, self-evident, beyond questioning by an upright man; On the other hand were private interests, selfish, sinister and illegitimate Public interest being the genuine aim for stability within the republic and private interests being the Committees ideals of a Jacobin society. In summary, the Committee did have motives other than their assigned mission: as whilst they did reap war on tyrants hoarders and aristocrats to help reestablish the republic, they also aimed at a complete cultural and social change with the introduction of an official ideology, hence the reference to the period as a cultural revolution. The actual role of the Committee, beyond the broad reshaping of society, was their control over all the main industries of France: police, war and munitions, education, and provisioning and supply, the establishment of war industries, placing France on a war footing, and the introduction of their policies including the policy of suspects and the General Maximum. They aimed to seize control, eliminate competition, and establish a Jacobin society, If we dont beat them, they will beat us. Let us throw between us and them the barrier of eternity
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Research essay sample on French Revolution Motives Of Committee Public Safety
