How was the French Revolution both constructive and destructive?

I. Introduction
a. FR had a number of impacts on France and the world
b. Both constructive/destructive, must look at any strays from the
previous norm (Old Regime)
c. Evidence points:
i. Constructive 1 – formed representative democracy, gave
lower classes opportunity for power
ii.Constructive 2 – significant advances in human rights
(women, Jews, slaves)
iii.Destructive – created society of power-crazed radical
leaders who created Reign of Terror, broke foreign relations
d. Must view from perspective of the majority of population – Third
Estate (96%)
II. Constructive 1 – Political/Social
a. First step away from absolute monarchy was taken on June 17th,
1789, when Third Estate declared National Assembly
(constitutional monarchy)
b. Night of August 4th, 1789 – feudalism essentially destroyed
c. Constitution of 1791 – allowed “active” citizens to vote
d. Insurrection of August 10th, 1792 – suspended powers of Louis
XVI
e. Voting of members of National Convention was first universal
male suffrage (September 1792)
i. First act was to formally abolish monarchy (September 21st,
1792)
f. Directory – formed by Constitution of 1795
i. Used system of checks/balances
ii.Council of Five Hundred/Council of the Ancients composed
of middle-class members
g. Overall, the lower classes were given much more opportunity for
power and equality than ever before
III. Constructive 2 – Human Rights
a. Declaration of the Rights of Man and the Citizen (August 27th,
1789)
i. First formal document declaring 17 natural rights in the
world
b. Legislative Assembly legalized divorce (September 1792)
 i. First time women are granted a significant right – 70% of
divorces during FR were initiated by women
c. National Convention established equal rights for illegitimate
children (November 1793)
d. National Convention abolished slavery in colonies (February 4th,
1793)
i. Rebel slaves allied with British/Spanish to campaign
against slavery
e. Legislative Assembly granted fully civic equality to Jews
(September 1791)
i. As opposed to other parts of Europe, where rights of Jews
came gradually
f. Rights of both genders and many ethnic/religious groups were
pioneered
IV. Destructive
a. FR did not have solely constructive impacts – some were
destructive
b. Jacobins
i. Extremely radical group set on destroying all civil/political
distinctions
ii.Abandoned better judgment in many cases to accomplish
goals
c. War – declared on April 20th, 1792
i. Disagreed with Germany
ii.First Coalition formed – Spain, Italy, Austria, Prussia,
Britain, Holland all against France
iii.Broke diplomatic ties with Britain after Louis XVI’s
execution in 1793
d. Reign of Terror (1793-1794) – led by Jacobin-dominated terrorist
government
i. In 15 months, over 16,000 people were executed
ii.Caused mass corruption in government
iii.Power-crazed radical leaders – Maximilien Robespierre,
Jacques Danton
e. Directory (1795-1799) – full of corruption
i. Basic food price inflation – over 1000%
ii.France began imposing/indoctrinating revolutionary model
of government on other nations
V. Opposing Viewpoints
 a. Some might say that France’s newfound principles of equality
were not constructive for all (only for Third Estate, destructive for
other Estates)
i. Third Estate is vast majority of population, must view
events through lens of majority people
b. Others might say that equality did not last
i. That type of equality was the first of its kind in the world,
so it is still constructive
VI. Conclusion
a. Although the FR is known for its many constructive and beneficial
impacts, it was not without its destructive impacts