In 1792, the French Revolution reached its climax. As the anti-French coalition invaded the country, antipathy toward the king grew, and the constitutional monarchists, known for their moderation, gradually lost their hearts. The Girond Party then joined forces with the Mountain Party, declared that "the Fatherland is in Danger", boldly accused the King of collaborating with the enemy and treason, and began to take advantage of the rising mood of the masses to launch a seizure of power. With the loss of power by the Constitutionalists, Louis XVI was put on the guillotine.
After the execution of the king, the revolutionaries fell into an unprecedented moral isolation, the royalists and constitutionalists in the French counties attacked one after another, the offensive of the anti-French coalition army was constantly strengthened, and the British government blockaded the french ports and confiscated the neutral ships bound for France to transport grain. The economic situation was first felt by the french underclass, and they demanded the enactment of the "maximum price law", which embarrassed the ruling Girond Party. Soon, this party, once considered radical, was branded a "weaker"; in the face of the frenzied counterattack of conservative forces, the Gironde Party still insisted on just and legitimate means to reject violence; in the face of foreign invasion, they were unwilling to stir up fanatical nationalist sentiments; in the face of blockade, they refused to meet the supply of the masses through the "maximum price law". In this case, they quickly lost their prestige.
In the camp of the left, there is a group of extremely "left" forces, centered on the Jacobin Club, who argue that the revolution and the republic should be defended by any means – even the horrors of the Holocaust. Republicans with lofty ideals, such as Danton and Kamil De Mouran, agreed with this idea, arguing that "it was necessary to maintain power under the domestic conditions of the time and to bring terror to the point of madness."
In order to defend the revolution, should we do whatever it takes?
<h1 class="pgc-h-arrow-right" data-track="3" > the French Revolution gradually evolved into a massacre</h1>
In the face of encirclement and suppression by domestic and foreign forces, the Girond Party appeared too weak and incompetent in the eyes of the people, who wanted a strong party to lead them to crush the strong enemy and consolidate the gains of the revolution.
In this context, the French have clearly put equality and republicanism ahead of freedom, failing to realize that the real opposite of despotism should be freedom, not equality and republicanism. The French launched a revolution that overthrew the feudal Bourbon dynasty and smashed the autocracy of kings and court aristocrats. They once gained precious freedom, but under internal and external pressure, they voluntarily gave up their freedom, used the means of a coup to overthrow the Girondin Party, and then concentrated all power in a "national salvation committee" of only 10 members.
Among them, Robespierre, by virtue of his personal prestige, was elected to the committee, and he ruled through public opinion and the police; his close partner, Sant-Just, was responsible for supervising and reporting the activities of various parties, Coudon was responsible for formulating radical policies, Kangbang was in charge of finances, and Barrel was responsible for spokesmen. Barrell publicly stated that "only those who die will not make a comeback," which is the credo they stand for. As soon as the "National Salvation Committee" came to power, it immediately announced the arrest of all suspects and the implementation of the nationwide use of soldiers. At this time, Dandong had not yet seen the true face of this organization, and he appealed with full revolutionary enthusiasm:
"Okay! Let's do as they ask! The representatives of the Junior Parliament have proposed to us the implementation of a policy of terror! ...... Now is the time for us to make our final solemn vows: each of us will swear to die to destroy all tyrants! ”
As a result, people swore an oath that the "National Salvation Committee" would be able to implement a comprehensive policy of terror. It organized the country's men, women and children, concentrated all manpower and material resources, transformed public houses into barracks, turned public places into factories, and turned the whole country into a vast prison — the army fought bravely on the front line, and commissioners and commissioners went around the country to arrest suspicious elements, killing people on both battlefields.
In the view of the "National Salvation Committee", all those who oppose them, when they are fighting, are enemies, and after defeat, they are rebels, and they should all be put to death. Danton proposed the formation of revolutionary tribunals dedicated to the execution of political prisoners. At this time, all the anti-purge policies of the "National Salvation Committee" were marked by a "retaliatory" nature - they launched a massacre in Lyon and killed people everywhere in Marseille and Bordeaux. The heads of all parties were liquidated, and the elites were reckoned with by the fall. As representatives of the "counter-revolution", the queen and the Duke of Orléans were first executed; then the Constitutionalists were executed for the crime of defending the king, although in 1789 they were still anti-feudal revolutionary progressives; and then the representatives of the Girond Party.
According to the History of the French Revolution, the former revolutionary leader Sal hid in a cave to escape the massacre, froze and starved to death, and after being found by the civilians, the body was inevitably transported to the guillotine; Pétion chose to commit suicide, and his body was found in a field, half of which had been eaten by wolves; the philosopher Condorcet was declared an unprotected man, and in order to avoid torture, he chose to commit suicide by poisoning; the chemist Lavoisier provoked the envy of the commoners for his status as a tax collector. After learning that her husband had been killed, Mrs. Roland left the shelter in frustration and committed suicide on the road, leaving behind a famous saying: "Freedom, in the name of Ru, creates countless evils." "Who is the creator of evil? Fanatics are also!
<h1 class="pgc-h-arrow-right" data-track="12" > conflict between revolutionary ideals and the desire for power</h1>
In 1793, as the situation became increasingly stable, Dandong and others believed that the goal had been achieved, and that they should voluntarily abandon the means of terror and change to a policy of leniency in order to re-establish order.
At this time, the "Committee for the Salvation of the Nation" was in full swing, and Saint-Just made no secret of the authoritarian character of the regime, declaring: "You should no longer tolerate those who are enemies of the new order, and you must at all costs make freedom victorious... The power of the law should be rapidly spread to all sides, and your authority should be manifested everywhere! In the name of defending freedom, this committee "confiscated" the free rights of all people, they called for love for the motherland, but they turned all the positions in the state apparatus into their own private property—they used the revolution to overthrow the feudal despotism of the Bourbon dynasty, but established a ten-headed politics similar to slavery in ancient Rome.
This is contrary to the original intention of Dandong and others, who believe that terrorist means are deserved and temporary, and after protecting the regime, they should return to the original track to guarantee freedom, promote democracy, and achieve equality. Danton's colleague Camille De Mouran, a former republican, favored all the excesses and acts of violence of the revolution and enthusiastically praised the policy of terror as a stopgap measure to defend the gains of the revolution. He made a generous statement in the old Cordelier's party newspaper, teaching the people to sacrifice everything for the sake of the motherland at any time, and he himself was ready to dedicate himself to his party. But when he discovered that the "National Salvation Committee" was a highly authoritarian body composed of a small group of people, he turned his pen and attacked those who "defiled and undermined the revolution", he suggested that the government restore moderation, leniency and justice, and threatened to establish a lenient committee to end the revolution and party struggle, which aroused the resentment of the authorities and the fanatical populace.
At that time, Danton, together with Filippo, Camille Demullan and others, drew up a plan for leniency, humanity and the rule of law, which they advocated: first, the republic should stabilize the battlefield; and after victory, it should be appeased. To these naïve ideas, Migne wrote in The History of the French Revolution: "Let us not forget that people are driven by two tendencies in the revolution: one is to love their ideals, and the other is the desire to rule. Danton forgot that when that small group of people came to power, their desire for power became the greatest obstacle to the realization of lofty ideals; he thought that if this small group of people were willing to give up their power, they would regain the independence of the rule of law and the National Convention, and abolish the revolutionary courts. He did not expect that all the means of terror inflicted on the enemy would soon fall on his own head.
Georges Jacques Danton (October 6, 1759 – April 5, 1794)
<h1 class="pgc-h-arrow-right" data-track="18" > moderates were eventually eaten back by the great terror policy</h1>
From a practical point of view, Dandong's moderate claims are put forward at an inopportune time. Because France was still at war at that time, the situation had only eased slightly, and the fanaticism of the masses was still high. Therefore, when Dandong put forward these rational propositions, he was immediately attacked by those in power, who took advantage of the fanatical patriotism of the masses to desperately pour the dirty water of infidelity and renegades on the heads of Dandong and others. Soon, the Dandong faction was squeezed out of the government and gradually marginalized.
Danton, who had long worked with Robespierre and maintained friendly relations, tried to persuade the latter to withdraw from the politics of the Ten Heads, thereby weakening the power of the "National Salvation Committee". Robespierre was initially welcome, personally reviewing the manuscript of the Old Cordelier newspaper, propagating several principles advocating moderation. However, as soon as he was accused of committing the "mistake" of moderation and complaining among the masses, he immediately drew a clear line with Danton and turned his head to criticize the old Cordelier Party newspaper, opposing the establishment of a government based on the rule of law. Robespierre spoke to the people:
"Outside, you are surrounded by tyrants of nations; inside, all those who support tyranny are engaged in conspiracy and rebellion. Without depriving them of the possibility of committing a crime, they are to be convicted to the end. The internal and external enemies of the Republic must be suppressed, or it will perish along with the Republic. ”
Robespierre advocated "treating the people with reason and terror against the enemy." As to who is the "people" and who is the "enemy", it is up to the fanatics and the "National Salvation Committee" to say. His close comrade-in-arms St. Justus ascended to the pulpit and continued to criticize the moderates, exclaiming: "The republic has become a republic by destroying everything that opposes it." There are those who become sinners of the Republic because they show mercy to criminals; those who become sinners of the Republic because they do not want morality; those who become sinners of the Republic because they do not want terror! ”
Thus, in order to deprive himself of the "possibility of crime", Danton became a criminal of the Republic without conviction and was arrested; he was released to the Luxembourg Palace, along with Camille De Mouran, Filippo and others, and kept in a secret room. Dandong repeatedly confessed, saying:
"It turns out that I proposed the establishment of a revolutionary tribunal in such an age, and I ask God and mankind for forgiveness, and I propose the establishment of a revolutionary tribunal not to make it a scourge for mankind!"
Finally, Robespierre and St. Just proposed the execution of Danton and the others. In his History of the French Revolution, Minne wrote: "After hearing the accusation, the deputies reluctantly and unanimously adopted the accusation against Danton and his associates. Everyone wants to survive under tyranny and sell other people's heads in order to save their own heads. ”
Before his execution, Danton cried out bitterly: "They sacrificed us for the ambitions of a few shameless bandits; but the bandits will not enjoy the fruits of this evil for long." I'll drag Robespierre away..... Robespierre is going to die with me! After that, he was in a different place.
Just 3 months later, the frenzied mood of the masses cooled with the easing of the political situation, and Robespierre and St. Just and others took to the same guillotine in the midst of a curse...