French Revolution 1787 1804

“This is an admirable précis of what happened during the Revolution [and] a dispassionate attempt to explain why things took that particular course.”

English Historical Review

 

The French Revolution can be seen as an enormous explosion of civic energy with huge ramifications for the rest of the world. In this balanced and accessible account, P.M Jones:

 

• Considers the build-up of pressure between 1787 and 1789 as the power of the ancien régime began to crumble
• Analyses the dramatic events that began with the taking of the Bastille in 1789 and led to the establishment of a radical new order
• Examines the demise of the Republic in 1804 and assesses the wider significance of the revolutionary decade

 

At the core of the Revolution lay the realisation among ordinary men and women that the human condition was not fixed until the end of time, but could be altered for the better. However, it was soon discovered that the task of building a new and better society would require huge amounts of effort and ingenuity – as well as suffering on a massive scale.

 

This new edition of P.M. Jones’s authoritative overview has been significantly revised to include new material on politics, state violence, the army and citizenship in the French Caribbean colonies. In addition, it includes an expanded selection of original documents and illuminating contemporary images.

 

P. M. JONES is Professor of French History at the University of Birmingham. He has written extensively on the French Revolution and French rural history.

 

 

The French Revolution can be likened to a huge release of energy. Contrary to popular belief the pressure for change did not burst forth suddenly in 1789, nor was it brought to an end abruptly by the appearance on the stage of history of Napoleon Bonaparte.

This book draws attention to the vigour and vitality of ancien-regime France and emphasizes the role played by the Bourbon monarchy in constructing an agenda for change. Starting with the visible crumbling of monarchical power in 1787 and ending with the demise of the republic in 1804, it lays bare the process of Revolutionary change. Written in a clear and accessible manner, the book:

• contains an up-to-date and easy to follow narrative
• provides a broader chronological sweep (1787-1804) than most other textbooks on the Revolution
• identifies the main areas of controversy among specialist historians
• provides a selection of documents as an aid to closer study

A Chronology, Who¿s Who of key characters and Glossary are also provided to ensure that this is an indispensable textbook for students studying the French Revolution.

 

P. M. Jones is Professor of French History at the University of Birmingham.

This classic, well-respected volume from the Seminar Studies series has been fully revised and brought up-to-date with recent scholarship.

• Contains valuable primary source material
• Includes a Who’s Who, Timeline, and Glossary of Key Terms
• In the new, attractive Seminar Studies format

This book, the latest in the best-selling Seminar Studies in History series, provides readers with an accessible and succinct introduction to the French Revolution, one of the most exciting and important periods in modern history. The author examines the events leading up to the revolution, the revolution itself, and the aftermath. The Assessment and Documents sections of the book will be particulalry helpful for the reader to understanding the French Revolution For those interested in French History or the French Revolution

P. M. JONES is Professor of French History at the University of Birmingham. He has written extensively on the French Revolution and French rural history.

PART ONE: INTRODUCTION

PART TWO:

Reform or Revolution, 1787-1789?

The Nettle of Reform

The Nation Awakes

Count Down to Revolution

Renewal, 1789-1791

Ending the Ancien Regime

Building the Nation

Towards a Political Settlement

The Failure of Consensus, 1791-1792

The Flight and its Aftermath

Managing the New Regime

The Fall of the Monarchy

War & Terror, 1792-1794

A Jacobin Republic

Reactions in the Departments

Terror and Repression

The Search for Stability, 1795-1799

A Thermidorian Republic

'La Grande Nation'

Rule by Coup

Consolidation, 1799-1804

Brumaire

Building Anew

Towards Dictatorship

PART THREE

The Assessment

PART FOUR

Documents

PART FIVE

Glossary

Who's Who

Guide to Further Reading

References