Both the American Revolution and the French Revolution started for a democratic purpose and value. The two revolutions were often compared due to their similarities in achieving the similar goal. The American Revolution was meant to oppose the Parliament monarchy due to an unequal, undemocratic government. Similarly, the French Revolution was meant to oppose absolute monarchy and an undemocratic government. Democracy was demanded by the colonists in America and the peasants in France. However, the government created afterwards wasn’t democratic.
The definition of democracy in present day is a form of government that applies freedom, equality, and political participation among the citizens. Firstly, freedom protects individuals from violations from the state and does not restrict an individual. Secondly, equality ensures individuals are treated equally in political process, and have equal rights to influence decision-making and have equal access to political power, despite one’s race, belief, and gender. And lastly, political participation allows individuals to control their representatives in the government in order to secure all principles above. According to the definition of democracy above, it is obvious that a government that achieves the three principles are considered a democratic government; however, the government established by the Americans and French did not achieve them.
The French Revolution was mainly caused by the inequality between the people and their absolute monarch, Louis XVI. Due to failure in both economic and crops, citizens who have lower social statuses, the third estates that made most of France’s population, suffered hard lives. Crop failures led to famine and hunger, food prices began to rise and people from the Third estates couldn’t afford food because their money was mainly spent on paying taxes to recover financial problems. High taxes also allowed the Second and the First estates to live luxurious and fancy lives. The Third estates were raged from the inequality between them and demanded for equality and the abolishment of the Old Order, a monarchic political system— They wanted a democratic government.
After the French Revolution, Napoleon provided an opportunity of democracy. He asked for public opinion on whether they think he shall be king before he crowned himself as king. Napoleon gave plenty of freedom to the people of France, including the freedom of press and religion. After Napoleon crowned himself as emperor, he issued the Napoleonic Code in 1804 to secure equality among the people. The code forbade privileges based on birth, allowed freedom of religion, and specified that government jobs should go to the most deserved. Although it might seemed like Napoleon was a democratic character who gave rights to France, he was not so democratic afterwards because he held most of the power and the people of France thought of him as a dictator.
Similar to the French Revolution, the American Revolution was also caused by economic issues. After the French and Indian War, or the Seven Years War, the British government in debt. In order to return this debt, the Parliament had passed several acts to tax colonists. The first conflict between the colonists and the British government was due to the Stamp Act. After the Stamp Act was passed in 1765, official documents, contracts and paper were all taxed. Since the colonists had no representatives to speak out for them, and had no political participation, they can do nothing but to boycott these documents from the British. To solve this issue in America, the Parliament passed another solution: The Intolerable Act. The Intolerable Act restricted the colonists such as closing the Boston port until the colonists paid for the tea, this act is responsible for the Boston Tea Party. As result to the establishment of several acts, many responded. Samuel Adams wrote a report, The Rights of the Colonists, in a Boston meeting on 1772, calling for the rights of liberty, property, and religion.
After the American Revolution, America was independent from the British. Soon, they began to establish democracy. The Declaration of Independence and the Bill of Rights were established, in which stated the freedom of speech religion, press, petition, and assembly. Freedom and political participation was established; however equality wasn't. The use of black people became popular and soon they were treated like property. Women had no rights to vote or to participate in any political situations.
At first, the American Revolution and the French Revolution longed for a democratic government; however, the outcome of both of these revolutions were not successful in a democratic reform.
Bibliography
"Benjamin Franklin's Preface to the English Edition of the Report." Adams. N.p., n.d. Web. 07 Dec. 2014.
Bio.com. A&E Networks Television, n.d. Web. 07 Dec. 2014.
"Concept." Democracy Barometer. N.p., n.d. Web. 05 Dec. 2014.
"For Democracy | Of the People, By the People..." For Democracy | Of the People, By the People... N.p., n.d. Web. 04 Dec. 2014.
"Napoleon." Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation, 12 May 2014. Web. 05 Dec. 2014.
"Philosophy of American Revolution - AP U.S. History Topic Outlines - Study Notes." Philosophy of American Revolution - AP U.S. History Topic Outlines - Study Notes. N.p., n.d. Web. 07 Dec. 2014.
Reisinger, William M. "SELECTED DEFINITIONS OF DEMOCRACY."SELECTED DEFINITIONS OF DEMOCRACY. N.p., n.d. Web. 04 Dec. 2014.
The definition of democracy in present day is a form of government that applies freedom, equality, and political participation among the citizens. Firstly, freedom protects individuals from violations from the state and does not restrict an individual. Secondly, equality ensures individuals are treated equally in political process, and have equal rights to influence decision-making and have equal access to political power, despite one’s race, belief, and gender. And lastly, political participation allows individuals to control their representatives in the government in order to secure all principles above. According to the definition of democracy above, it is obvious that a government that achieves the three principles are considered a democratic government; however, the government established by the Americans and French did not achieve them.
The French Revolution was mainly caused by the inequality between the people and their absolute monarch, Louis XVI. Due to failure in both economic and crops, citizens who have lower social statuses, the third estates that made most of France’s population, suffered hard lives. Crop failures led to famine and hunger, food prices began to rise and people from the Third estates couldn’t afford food because their money was mainly spent on paying taxes to recover financial problems. High taxes also allowed the Second and the First estates to live luxurious and fancy lives. The Third estates were raged from the inequality between them and demanded for equality and the abolishment of the Old Order, a monarchic political system— They wanted a democratic government.
After the French Revolution, Napoleon provided an opportunity of democracy. He asked for public opinion on whether they think he shall be king before he crowned himself as king. Napoleon gave plenty of freedom to the people of France, including the freedom of press and religion. After Napoleon crowned himself as emperor, he issued the Napoleonic Code in 1804 to secure equality among the people. The code forbade privileges based on birth, allowed freedom of religion, and specified that government jobs should go to the most deserved. Although it might seemed like Napoleon was a democratic character who gave rights to France, he was not so democratic afterwards because he held most of the power and the people of France thought of him as a dictator.
Similar to the French Revolution, the American Revolution was also caused by economic issues. After the French and Indian War, or the Seven Years War, the British government in debt. In order to return this debt, the Parliament had passed several acts to tax colonists. The first conflict between the colonists and the British government was due to the Stamp Act. After the Stamp Act was passed in 1765, official documents, contracts and paper were all taxed. Since the colonists had no representatives to speak out for them, and had no political participation, they can do nothing but to boycott these documents from the British. To solve this issue in America, the Parliament passed another solution: The Intolerable Act. The Intolerable Act restricted the colonists such as closing the Boston port until the colonists paid for the tea, this act is responsible for the Boston Tea Party. As result to the establishment of several acts, many responded. Samuel Adams wrote a report, The Rights of the Colonists, in a Boston meeting on 1772, calling for the rights of liberty, property, and religion.
After the American Revolution, America was independent from the British. Soon, they began to establish democracy. The Declaration of Independence and the Bill of Rights were established, in which stated the freedom of speech religion, press, petition, and assembly. Freedom and political participation was established; however equality wasn't. The use of black people became popular and soon they were treated like property. Women had no rights to vote or to participate in any political situations.
At first, the American Revolution and the French Revolution longed for a democratic government; however, the outcome of both of these revolutions were not successful in a democratic reform.
Bibliography
"Benjamin Franklin's Preface to the English Edition of the Report." Adams. N.p., n.d. Web. 07 Dec. 2014.
Bio.com. A&E Networks Television, n.d. Web. 07 Dec. 2014.
"Concept." Democracy Barometer. N.p., n.d. Web. 05 Dec. 2014.
"For Democracy | Of the People, By the People..." For Democracy | Of the People, By the People... N.p., n.d. Web. 04 Dec. 2014.
"Napoleon." Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation, 12 May 2014. Web. 05 Dec. 2014.
"Philosophy of American Revolution - AP U.S. History Topic Outlines - Study Notes." Philosophy of American Revolution - AP U.S. History Topic Outlines - Study Notes. N.p., n.d. Web. 07 Dec. 2014.
Reisinger, William M. "SELECTED DEFINITIONS OF DEMOCRACY."SELECTED DEFINITIONS OF DEMOCRACY. N.p., n.d. Web. 04 Dec. 2014.