Comparison between the American and French Revolutions
Introduction
The French Revolution was a time of wide-ranging political and social turmoil in France, along with its colonies that started in 1789 and late ended in 1799. Besides, it was inspired by radical and liberal ideas, thus making a deep impression on the modern history course, impacting the dissolution of the absolute monarchies while supplanting them with liberal democracies and republics. The American Revolution, on the other hand, was an expatriate revolt that happened between 1765 and 1783. Generally, this paper is primarily about the French and American Revolution. Firstly, the paper will be comparing both the American and the French Revolutions with regard to the economic, social, and cultural contexts in the U.S.A. and France, respectively. Secondly, the origins and cause of these two revolutions will be discussed comprehensively, and lastly, the major consequences of each of these revolutions will be addressed.
Comparison between the American and the French Revolutions.
The American Revolution is a vast and fascinating topic with a lot of similarities to the French Revolution. France and U.SA were enormous powers in the 1700s and at most time experienced classes in the expedition to search out for profitable colonies (Tignor et al., 2014). However, the consequences of the French and the American revolutions spread throughout the globe, bringing about the peaceful replacement of the absolute monarchies in various nations but with constrained republics, constitutional monarchies, together with democracies. Principally speaking, while the Revolution in the United States involved individuals that sought to govern and rule themselves, thus needing the surrender of the previous governing body, the French Revolution did involve a body of persons that sought nothing particularly special but instead reacted to the typical inefficiency of their leadership.
Also, while the American Revolution was seeking to liberate its people by trying to obtain freedom from its colonizer, along with the taxes that Great Britain had imposed on them, the French Revolution was seeking to integrate the elements of the existing order into the new regime such that the French nationals aimed to eradicate the feudal rights of both the French Monarchy and the clergy to assist them in the establishment of a better government where people will acquire their rights and freedom within the society. However, these two revolutions had comparative endings, i.e. the two Revolution prompted the formation of the government’s republican forms.
Causes of the French Revolution
The French Revolution of France is considered as one of the most famous and momentous occurrences throughout history that lasted from the year 1789 to 1799. There exist several reasons that caused the Revolution. These reasons consist of social causes like the burden of taxation on the peasants, political causes like ineffective leadership of Louis XVI, and economic causes like the involvement of the French nation in costly wars (Tignor et al., 2014).
France, during the eighteenth century, took part in a progression of costly wars that was mainly against Great Britain this, in turn, caused the overloading the debt of the state that in turn worsened the country’s financial and economic times thus making it bankrupt.
King XVI couldn’t lead effectively. This is on account that he failed to surpass the economic crisis that the country was experiencing. He couldn’t harmonize the parties with conflict at court to get to intelligible financial policies. Thus, the country’s poor financial condition angered a lot of people, and they turned out to be severed on the King’s part.
With regard to the burden of taxation on the peasants, the nobles and the clergy were excluded from paying taxes and were also permitted to collect their levies from those peasants. Contrarily, the peasants were compelled to pay a lot of levies and taxes, thus burdening them prompting them to question the unjust estate systems thus causing the launching of the French Revolution to help them overthrow them.
The Causes of the American Revolution
A progression of events led to the American Revolution. It essentially started as an incongruity over how Great Britain had governed her colonies and ways in which the colonies supposed they must be treated (Tignor et al., 2014). The American citizens felt that they had all the rights and freedom to be Englishmen. In contrast, the British had it in mind that the colonies were to be established in a manner that was appropriate for the parliament and the crown. Hence, thus brought about the American Revolution that would fight against taxation. In other words, the Revolution was mainly caused by the opposition of the colonials to the British attempts to levy much control throughout the colonies.
Major consequences of the French Revolution
The French Revolution prompted social, political, and economic consequences. In economic terms, the Revolution introduced the economy of the nation into the present-day era since it manifested in abolishing the feudal system such that the feudal rights of the nobles and the clergy had to abolish thus reducing economic and the legal barriers, which had secures the clergy and nobility and established the equality principle before the law (Tignor et al., 2014). In social and political terms, the French revolutions brought about the spread of liberalism such that the country had to eliminate symbol of the old government, ordered the destruction of monuments, and later chose to adopt a new flag. Alternately, the long-haul impact brought about by the French Revolution was reflective such that it helped shape politics, ideas, society, and polarized politics which in turn brought about liberalism and the abolition of traditional or the feudal system. Along with spreading liberalism, the Revolution caused the radical’s debut of the reign of terror to help expel the country from its internal entrants.
Major consequences of the American Revolution
The American Revolution also had social and political consequences to the American lives. Involvement in politics increased since it had brought about liberty, fraternity, and equality; thus most of the American citizens had been granted the right to cast their votes (Tignor et al., 2014). Besides, more ordinary people assumed a progressively significant role in state and local governance. The hierarchy in the country went through momentous changes. This is on account the idea of Locke on “natural war” had been integral to the declaring of independence. The entire society turned out to be more egalitarian and less differential. The society also became more meritocratic and less aristocratic.
The most significant economic impact of this Revolution was the end of mercantilism. This is on account that the British empire had levied several restrictions like the taxes, and abolished profitable product smuggling. This brought about the launching of new markets, and trade relations were launched such that the King’s officials had been ordered to levy taxes on different commodities and tried to abolish profitable product smuggling.
Also, following their unparalleled expansion into the political affairs throughout imperial resistance, women serve as the partisan cause throughout the war. However, the Revolution didn’t bring about civic equality among women.
Conclusion
Generally, the paper has provided an in-depth analysis of the French and the American Revolution such that it has provided both the similarities and the differences that exist between the two revolutions. The paper has also discussed what prompted each of the revolutions and ways in which they unfolded. Lastly, the major social, economic, and political consequences of both the French and the American Revolution has been addressed.
References
Tignor, R. L., Adelman, J., Aron, S., Brown, P., Elman, B. A., Liu, X, & Prakash, G. (2014). Worlds Together, Worlds Apart. WW Norton.