Chapter 9: The establishment of a Republic
The new Republic and its problems and policies
On 22nd September, the deputies of the new National Convention declared France a Republic. On this, at least,
they all agreed – but on many other matters, and in particular, on what to do with louis, now he was no longer
King, their disagreements outweighed their shared beliefs. Although both the Jacobins (Montagnards) and
Girondins were passionate revolutionaries, the Girondins were fundamentally more cautious; they wanted to
protect and consolidate the gains already achieved, whereas the Jacobins saw these only as a starting point. The
broad agreements and disagreements among the deputies who favoured the Jacobin (Montagnard) and
Girondin views were as follows:
Jacobin/Montagnards Girondins
Shared beliefs - Supported republican government
- Supported the war and were determined to achieve French victory
- Believed in the need for further enlightened reform to improve
government, the economy and society
Disagreements - Had strong support base in Paris and - Had a wide support base in
believed increased central control the provinces and believed
over government would be beneficial that decentralisation was
the way forward
- Were well-favoured by the sans- - Were suspicious of the
culottes and ready to respond to their sans-culottes and feared
demands, e.g., imposing control over their activism. Believed
the price of food and level of wages economic controls would
curb ‘liberty’ and favoured
a free-market economy
- Believed a radical, militant approach - Believed in a more
was called upon to bring about change moderate, measured
approach to bring about
change
Attitude to Louis - Wanted to see the King put on trial - Were hesitant about action
and executed against the King and while
prepared to accept his
guilt, were less inclined to
accept the death penalty
Whilst most deputies in ‘the Plain’, representing the départements outside Paris, were more inclined to the
Girondin views, their loyalties were fickle and divisions sometimes unpredictable. Debates were animated and
decision-making slow as the two sides constantly hurled abuse and both mounted personal attacks on one
another. The Girondins say the dominant Robespierre, and his fellow Montagnards, Danton and Marat, as
potential dictators, buoyed up by their following in the Jacobin Club and Paris sections. Marat in particular was
loathed by men such as Brissot and Roland (the chief spokesperson for the Girondins) for his association with
the September Massacres and the insurrectionary Paris Commune. For their part, The Jacobin Montagnards
accused the Girondins of lacking faith in the revolution and trying to form a ‘party’ (which was regarded as
discreditable at the time) to black legitimate change.
A constitutional committee was set up comprising Sièyes, Danton, Condorcet and Thomas Paine, along with 6
others, in order to draw up proposals for a new constitutional to replace that of 1791 in which the King had
been given executive power. However, the constant arguments between the Jacobins and Girondins made it
difficult to achieve any agreement on this.
Even in the matter of the war, the two groups did not view matters in quite the same way, although they both
applauded the victories. On 6th November 1792, the Austrians were defeated by the Girondin general,
Dumouriez, at the Battle of Jemappes and the French were able to occupy the Austrian Netherlands. These
successes seemed to vindicate the Girondins’ commitment to war and the Girondin believed in spreading the
ideas of revolution across Europe through war. Hence, the Girondins were able to win support for some
provocative decrees:
- On 16th November, the French announced that the River Scheldt would be made ‘free and open’ to all
river traffic. This measure was bound to incense the United Provinces, through whose territory this
river partly ran as well as its ally, GB
The new Republic and its problems and policies
On 22nd September, the deputies of the new National Convention declared France a Republic. On this, at least,
they all agreed – but on many other matters, and in particular, on what to do with louis, now he was no longer
King, their disagreements outweighed their shared beliefs. Although both the Jacobins (Montagnards) and
Girondins were passionate revolutionaries, the Girondins were fundamentally more cautious; they wanted to
protect and consolidate the gains already achieved, whereas the Jacobins saw these only as a starting point. The
broad agreements and disagreements among the deputies who favoured the Jacobin (Montagnard) and
Girondin views were as follows:
Jacobin/Montagnards Girondins
Shared beliefs - Supported republican government
- Supported the war and were determined to achieve French victory
- Believed in the need for further enlightened reform to improve
government, the economy and society
Disagreements - Had strong support base in Paris and - Had a wide support base in
believed increased central control the provinces and believed
over government would be beneficial that decentralisation was
the way forward
- Were well-favoured by the sans- - Were suspicious of the
culottes and ready to respond to their sans-culottes and feared
demands, e.g., imposing control over their activism. Believed
the price of food and level of wages economic controls would
curb ‘liberty’ and favoured
a free-market economy
- Believed a radical, militant approach - Believed in a more
was called upon to bring about change moderate, measured
approach to bring about
change
Attitude to Louis - Wanted to see the King put on trial - Were hesitant about action
and executed against the King and while
prepared to accept his
guilt, were less inclined to
accept the death penalty
Whilst most deputies in ‘the Plain’, representing the départements outside Paris, were more inclined to the
Girondin views, their loyalties were fickle and divisions sometimes unpredictable. Debates were animated and
decision-making slow as the two sides constantly hurled abuse and both mounted personal attacks on one
another. The Girondins say the dominant Robespierre, and his fellow Montagnards, Danton and Marat, as
potential dictators, buoyed up by their following in the Jacobin Club and Paris sections. Marat in particular was
loathed by men such as Brissot and Roland (the chief spokesperson for the Girondins) for his association with
the September Massacres and the insurrectionary Paris Commune. For their part, The Jacobin Montagnards
accused the Girondins of lacking faith in the revolution and trying to form a ‘party’ (which was regarded as
discreditable at the time) to black legitimate change.
A constitutional committee was set up comprising Sièyes, Danton, Condorcet and Thomas Paine, along with 6
others, in order to draw up proposals for a new constitutional to replace that of 1791 in which the King had
been given executive power. However, the constant arguments between the Jacobins and Girondins made it
difficult to achieve any agreement on this.
Even in the matter of the war, the two groups did not view matters in quite the same way, although they both
applauded the victories. On 6th November 1792, the Austrians were defeated by the Girondin general,
Dumouriez, at the Battle of Jemappes and the French were able to occupy the Austrian Netherlands. These
successes seemed to vindicate the Girondins’ commitment to war and the Girondin believed in spreading the
ideas of revolution across Europe through war. Hence, the Girondins were able to win support for some
provocative decrees:
- On 16th November, the French announced that the River Scheldt would be made ‘free and open’ to all
river traffic. This measure was bound to incense the United Provinces, through whose territory this
river partly ran as well as its ally, GB
