Introduction
Hindsight is a powerful tool. In the spirit of modern blogging and list-making, I’m going to look at “Things not to do if you’re King Louis XVI and a revolution is coming your way”.
Taking a look at alternative strategies the king could have followed to avoid (or maybe just delay) the incoming revolution and his consequent death.
The Revolution
The French Revolution was a major event in the history of Western societies and had a profound effect on the world today. Beginning in 1789, the revolution saw the French people overthrow their absolute monarchy and bring about a republic that was based on the principles of equality, liberty and fraternity.
Alternative Strategic Decisions
Not Enter the American War of Independence
This itself can be split into two reasons/justifications:
1.1 Prevent State Bankruptcy:
As recommended by his finance minister, Jaques Necker, he could have avoided his country going into bankruptcy by not supporting the American Revolution (through aid and also having France itself declare war against England). The amount of money spent on that conflict and the lack of a return meant France quickly became bankrupt under the weight of loan repayments.
1.2 Prevent Ideas of Liberty Spreading:
The success of the American Revolution brought back to France not only French soldiers officers with the first-hand experience in fighting for liberty but the idea that fighting for liberty could succeed.
Dump His Wife
Joking of course, slightly: However, Louis XVI could also have dramatically reduced royal expenditures and court displays of outrageous spending(largely by his wife) given that his calling of the Estates General, to deal with the impending bankruptcy, was the event that soon sparked the 14 July 1789 Storming of the Bastille and the “official” beginning of the French Revolution.
Don't Flee
On the night of the 20/21st June 1791, King Louis XVI attempted to flee in an event that was later named the flight to Varennes. His plans were secret, but he probably intended to flee to Montmedy in Lorraine, where he hoped to gain the protection of the royalist military commander and negotiate the terms of the new constitution with those back in Paris. His brother claimed his intention was to leave France and return with the backing of his brother-in-law Emperor Leopold II and the Austrian armies. However, he only reached Varennes. He was brought back to Paris in disgrace and to the numbing silence of the hostile crowds. His actions had destroyed his last ounce of support and Parisians began to talk seriously about a republic.
The king's attempted flight provoked charges of treason that ultimately led to his execution in 1793.
Conclusion: Is Brexit a Revolution?
One government minister, who supported Remain but believes leaving the EU to need not to be a disaster, said the country is now trapped in a “psychology of perpetual revolution.” (McTague, 2019)
As is the same with all revolutions. He states, the problem revolves around what was once hard-line, now becomes soft. The metaphor of the French Revolution has been used to describe this changing hardline with regards to Brexit. “At the start of the French Revolution in 1789, it was perfectly acceptable to be a revolutionary and a constitutional monarchist. By 1793, the king had been executed and any public figures with monarchical sympathies had their heads lopped off at the guillotine.”
References: (Harvard)
McTague, T. (2019). British Jacobins on the march in Brexit revolution. [online] POLITICO. Available at: https://www.politico.eu/article/boris-johnson-brexit-fantasy-explained-britain-perpetual-revolution/ [Accessed 7 Mar. 2019].
En.wikipedia.org. (2019). French Revolution. [online] Available at: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/French_Revolution [Accessed 7 Mar. 2019].