1.6. The Revolution and Everyday Life

On the morning of 14 July 1789, the city of Paris was in a state of alarm. The king had commanded troops to move into the city. Rumours spread that he would soon order the army to open fire upon the citizens. Some 7,000 men and women gathered in front of the town hall and decided to form a people's militia. They broke into a number of government buildings in search of arms. Finally, a group of several hundred people marched towards the eastern part of the city and stormed the fortress-prison, the Bastille, where they hoped to find hoarded ammunition. In the armed fight that followed, the commander of the Bastille was killed and the prisoners released – though there were only seven of them. Yet the Bastille was hated by all, because it stood for the despotic power of the king. The fortress was demolished and its stone fragments were sold in the markets to all those who wished to keep a souvenir of its destruction.

On July 14, 1789, the people of Paris were terrified due to the king's decision to send troops into the city. Fear spread that the troops would attack the citizens. In response, about 7,000 people formed a militia to defend themselves. This group ultimately marched to the Bastille, a prison fortress that symbolized royal oppression, in search of weapons. The attack was intense—the commander of the Bastille was killed, and even though only seven prisoners were freed, the act symbolized a revolt against tyranny. The destruction of the Bastille marked a pivotal moment in the French Revolution as it was seen as an uprising against the king's absolute power.

Imagine a situation where a group of students feels threatened by an unjust school policy. They come together, form a student council, and protest against it. Their protest leads them to the principal's office—symbolizing power in the school. They demand change, and though they may only get a small issue resolved, the action unites them and changes the atmosphere in the school.

The days that followed saw more rioting both in Paris and the countryside. Most people were protesting against the high price of bread. Much later, when historians looked back upon this time, they saw it as the beginning of a chain of events that ultimately led to the execution of the king in France, though most people at the time did not anticipate this outcome.

In the aftermath of the storming of the Bastille, France experienced widespread unrest as people in Paris and rural areas protested primarily against the surge in bread prices. Bread was a staple food for the majority, and its inaccessibility due to inflated prices drove people to take drastic measures, signaling deep discontent with the government's inability to address their basic needs. Over time, historians recognized this unrest as a fundamental factor leading to the king's eventual execution, illustrating how economic distress can ignite deeper political transformations.

Think of a community facing a sudden increase in the cost of essential goods like food or electricity. In such a scenario, families might band together to demand action from local leaders or government officials, realizing that their basic daily lives are at stake. This unity can lead to large-scale protests addressing not just the cost increase but broader demands for better living conditions.

Soon after the demolition of the Bastille, artists made prints commemorating the event.

In the wake of the dramatic events surrounding the storming of the Bastille, artists played an essential role in capturing and commemorating the moment through prints and other artworks. These pieces not only served as reminders of the revolution but also helped spread revolutionary ideas and emotions throughout France. Art became a powerful medium for expression and activism during this transformative period.

Consider how music or art is often used to commemorate significant historical events, like the use of songs for civil rights movements. Just as artists create songs or visuals to capture the spirit of a movement, the prints following the storming of the Bastille served a similar purpose—engraving the event into the cultural memory of France.

The population of France rose from about 23 million in 1715 to 28 million in 1789. This led to a rapid increase in the demand for food grains. Production of grains could not keep pace with the demand. So the price of bread which was the staple diet of the majority rose rapidly. Most workers were employed as labourers in workshops whose owner fixed their wages. But wages did not keep pace with the rise in prices. So the gap between the poor and the rich widened.

During the late 18th century, France's population growth exacerbated the demand for essential food grains, particularly bread. Unfortunately, agricultural production struggled to meet this demand, leading to soaring bread prices—this food being a staple for the majority of the populace. As wages remained stagnant while prices climbed, the wealth gap increased significantly, leaving many in poverty and prompting unrest and protests. This economic disparity was a crucial factor that fueled the revolution.

Think of a scenario where a town's population surges rapidly, but local farms can't produce enough food to sustain everyone. The prices for groceries skyrocket, making it difficult for working families to afford meals. As families struggle to make ends meet, frustrations mount, leading them to petition local leaders for help and potentially sparking larger organized movements demanding fair prices and wages.

In the past, peasants and workers had participated in revolts against the high prices, but they lacked the means and programs to carry out full-scale measures that would bring about a change in the social and economic order. This was left to those groups within the third estate who had become prosperous and had access to education and new ideas.

The early uprisings against oppression and high prices were primarily led by peasants and workers. However, their ability to effect systemic change was limited due to a lack of resources and organization. As a result, it fell to the emerging middle class, which had gained wealth and education, to articulate demands for reform and mobilize efforts for a more significant transformation of society. They sought to dismantle the oppressive structures of the old regime and promote new ideas about governance and rights.

Picture a local neighborhood where a few families have begun to thrive and accumulate wealth. These families might begin organizing community meetings to address issues like poor school funding or inadequate public services, using their resources and education to push for policies that benefit everyone in the neighborhood, showcasing how a rising middle class can drive social change.

The eighteenth century witnessed the emergence of social groups, termed the middle class, who earned their wealth through an expanding overseas trade and from the manufacture of goods such as woollen and silk textiles. ... These ideas envisioning a society based on freedom and equal laws and opportunities for all were put forward by philosophers such as John Locke and Jean Jacques Rousseau.

During the 1700s, a new social class emerged in France, known as the middle class, which grew wealthy through trade and manufacturing. This group began to embrace and advocate for the enlightened philosophies of the era, which emphasized ideas of individual rights, equality, and democratic governance. Influential thinkers like John Locke and Jean Jacques Rousseau played significant roles in shaping these concepts, arguing against privileges based on birth and for a society that values merit and equitable laws.

Consider the influence of modern social movements that advocate for equality and social justice. Just like those movements draw from philosophical foundations to argue for change today, the middle class of 18th-century France was inspired by great thinkers and sought to translate these ideas into societal reform, believing that all individuals should have the opportunity to succeed based on their abilities.

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