The Second Revolution & The Emergence of Political Groups

The Second Revolution was a period of the greater French Revolution that marked the government's rapid radicalization following the fall of the monarchy under Louis XVI. During this period, two political groups arose within the National Convention, the "Girondists" and "The Mountain", both seeking to control the republic. There is a distinct parallel in the emergence of political groups in both the French and the American Revolution. In both revolutions, each political group shared the similar foundational beliefs of government, yet had contrasting ideas as to carrying out these beliefs. Based on these two revolutions, political groups are a key feature of any changing nation's government. So on what basis did these political groups originate in France? Who were the "Girondists" and "The Mountain" and just what drove them to opposition?

With the imprisonment of Louis XVI, France found itself in utter ferment and bedlam. During the September Massacres, hordes of angry crowds invaded Paris' prisons, killing nearly half of the people they found, under the suspicion that imprisoned counter-revolutionaries were plotting with invaders. In response to the chaos of the city, the popularly elected National Convention proclaimed the nation a republic in September 1792. As a whole, the republic wished to create a different popular culture that advocated its new order. Among the elements that it supported were: a new calendar system, and democratic festivals where the enthusiasm of the masses was directed to secular holidays that were meant to arouse the love of the nation.

While the governmental members of the new republic agreed on these elements, there arose a clear divide within the National Convention. Much like the divide during the American Revolution of Republicans and Federalists, the Convention was divided into two groups of Jacobin members, the Girondists and the Mountain. The Jacobin was one of the political clubs that had permeated the neighborhoods of Paris from the inception of the Revolution. In these clubs, members both men and women debated the most pressing issues of the day. The Girondists were named after the southwestern department of France that was home to its leaders. The Mountain was named so because of its members' position on the upper bench of the assembly hall, and was recognizable by their famous leaders such as Robespierre. The emergence of these separate groups came about as a result of a most important political decision. While the National Convention agreed in its fundamental decision to convict Louis XVI of treason, there was quite a rift as to its terms. The Girondists did not want the king to be executed, while the Mountain called for his death. The Mountain ultimately won this battle with a slim margin of victory, and Louis was executed with the guillotine on January 21, 1793.

Despite their disagreement on this issue, both groups sought to further the "war against tyranny"; however, their differences of opinion did not end with the execution of King Louis. In the spring of 1793 "sans-culottes", or the laboring poor began to rise up in a demand for their daily bread during ravaging food shortages in Paris. Initially both groups agreed to ignore their demands, but soon the Mountain leader Robespierre sympathized with their suffering. Joining forces, the "sans-culotte" and the Mountain persuaded the convention to arrest 31 Girondist deputies for treason on June 2. It was at this point of the Second Revolution that the Mountain had gained control of the nation's power.

The events of the Second Revolution are quite similar to the division of political groups that came about during the American Revolution. In that case, both groups had fought for their nation's independence and sought to make their nation better, but disagreed as to where the power should lie, the Republicans advocating a weaker national government, while the Federalists advocated a strong one, both parties disagreeing on countless other issues. For France, their groups' basic beliefs were the same in that the king was treasonous, but how they handled it led to the divergence of their opinions. Each group had its own idea as to how to run the government.
Personally, I believe that when a nation's government is coming into its own, the division into political parties is unavoidable. Despite the warning of George Washington in America, the Continental Congress split into the very first of the nation's political parties, as did the National Convention of France. Furthermore, I don't believe that this is at all a bad thing. In class we discussed this in depth. I believe that the emergence of political groups helps to represent all of the ideas of a nation. The way that groups work to better the government and represent everyone's ideas is to strike balance in their decision, as the Americans were able to do when they wrote the Great Compromise. Instead, during the French Revolution each group was essentially unwilling to compromise, seeking only to assert their own control over the government, as the Mountain forced the Convention to arrest members with opposing beliefs.

Based on this analysis of the Second Revolution, answer one or more of the following questions: Do you agree that there are there parallels between the emergence of political parties during both the American and the French Revolutions?
Is the emergence of political groups inevitable in government?
Do you believe that the emergence of political groups ultimately hurt France during the Second Revolution?
Is there such thing as "balance" in government? If so, could France have potentially achieved it?

Image Sources

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