PRESENTATION OUTLINE
Why did the people of France go along with the reign of terror?
FEAR
Up till now, the French Revolution has has one enemy - the ancien regime. But now, things start to get complicated.
The massacre of Champs-de Mars, on July 17, 1791, where normal people kill each over whether France should be a constitutional monarchy.
This event is representative of a larger change.
People being to fear for their own lives, as fifty common people, just like them are killed. Everyone is at risk now, not just noblemen or National Assembly members.
This threat to people lives causes am intense fear. Any one who disagree with the Jacobins becomes, The Enemy, this monstrous threat to France, traitors to society.
Propaganda surrounds them, so that fear of the enemy consumes the population, regardless of who someone is. The Jacobins become heroes, and martyrs, the protectors of the people.
Everyone around them becomes a threat to their safety, and the safety of France. Friends, neighbors, and the innocent are all now potential enemies.
This creates an atmosphere of fear, where no one knows who they can trust.
As this shift is happening, France begins to go to further and further to identify the traitors in its midst.
On August 11, 1792 the National Assembly authorizes the arrest of anyone who is suspected of being a traitor
On March 21, 1793, Surveillance committees are created to find enemies to the nation
It becomes gradually more acceptable to arrest or persecute people simply on the basis of them being a traitor.
On January 21, 1793, Louis XVI is executed. It is now acceptable to kill anyone, even the King, if they are considered a threat to France. By this time people are so afraid they feel the only way to fix the problem is to kill anyone and everyone who is the enemy
So, when Robespierre stands up in front of a crowd and announce he is going to kill all the enemies, very threat to France. it feels reassuring.
The people feel that the leader who protected them before is now going to protect them by killing those who are a threat to their society.
