National Constituent Assembly, 1789

CRISIS BACKGROUND GUIDE

Vancouver Model United Nations The Nineteenth Annual Session | February 14–16, 2020

Dear Delegates,

You have been summoned by the most high, most potent and most excellent Prince, Louis XVI, by the Grace of God, King of France and of Navarre, most Christian Majesty to the Hôtel des Menus Plaisirs, Versailles, for the inaugural meeting of the National Constituent Assembly on July 14th, 1789. I have been tasked with briefing you in preparation for this congregation.

My name is Su-Ann Ho, and I have the distinct honour of serving as your Director for VMUN 2020’s Cabinet. I am a senior at Crofton House School, and this marks my fifth and final year in Model UN. In the time not occupied by Model UN, you can find me tinkering with maladroit automations or trying to overthrow the Calamity Ganon. I hope that the amazing experiences I have had in Model UN will be reflected in yours at this iteration of VMUN.

Along with me on the dais team are Patrick Kim, a senior at Fraser Heights Secondary School who constantly treads upon the legacy of Pascal to enlighten his mathematical consciousness, and Arella Yang, a Crofton House senior who can often be found in a deep slumber, dreaming of Rousseau’s theory of the social contract.

Delegates, the state of France is perilous. In order for you to serve the Kingdom with acumen, authenticity, and poise, I encourage you to research your character in addition to reading the following backgrounder.

Heed this royal decree! If you have any questions or concerns, feel free to contact me or any royal representative of the dais team through the committee email, cabinet@vmun.com.

Cordialement,

Su-Ann Ho Cabinet Director

Steven Long Co-Secretary-General

Alex Shojania Co-Secretary-General

Jessica Lin Chief of Staff

Albert Chen Director-General

Jamin Feng USG General Assemblies

Ronald Wu USG Specialized Agencies

Carol Lu USG Conference

Christopher Bong USG Finance

William Tsai USG Delegate Affairs

Vivian Gu USG Delegate Affairs

Christina Su USG Design & Media

Position Paper Policy

What is a Position Paper?

A position paper is a brief overview of a country’s stance on the topics being discussed by a particular committee. Though there is no specific format the position paper must follow, it should include a description of your positions your country holds on the issues on the agenda, relevant actions that your country has taken, and potential solutions that your country would support.

At Vancouver Model United Nations, delegates should write a position paper for each of the committee’s topics. Each position paper should not exceed one page, and should all be combined into a single document per delegate.

For the Cabinet Committee, position papers are mandatory, especially for a delegate to be considered for an award.

Formatting

Position papers should:

— Include the name of the delegate, his/her country, and the committee

— Be in a standard font (e.g. Times New Roman) with a 12-point font size and 1-inch document margins

— Not include illustrations, diagrams, decorations, national symbols, watermarks, or page borders

— Include citations and a bibliography, in any format, giving due credit to the sources used in research (not included in the 1-page limit)

Due Dates and Submission Procedure

Position papers for this committee must be submitted by midnight on February 7th, 2020. Once your position paper is complete, please save the file as your last name, your first name and send it as an attachment in an email, to your committee’s email address, with the subject heading as your last name, your first name — Position Paper.

Please do not add any other attachments to the email or write anything else in the body.

Both your position papers should be combined into a single PDF or Word document file; position papers submitted in another format will not be accepted.

Each position paper will be manually reviewed and considered for the Best Position Paper award.

The email address for this committee is cabinet@vmun.com.

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National Constituent Assembly, 1789 .......................................................................................... 3

Overview ...................................................................................................................................................3

Timeline ....................................................................................................................................................3

Historical Analysis ..................................................................................................................................4

Emergence of France (1000 CE) ......................................................................................................................4

Ancien Régime (15th Century–Present) ........................................................................................................5

Age of Exploration (16th-17th Centuries) .....................................................................................................6

Age of Enlightenment (18th Century) ............................................................................................................6

Seven Years’ War (1756-1763) .........................................................................................................................7

American Revolutionary War (1775-1783) ....................................................................................................8

Current Situation .....................................................................................................................................8

Internal Affairs ...................................................................................................................................................8

International Relations......................................................................................................................................9

Military ............................................................................................................................................................. 11

Government ..................................................................................................................................................... 11

Initiating Crisis ..................................................................................................................................... 13

Portfolio Overviews ............................................................................................................................. 13

Council of Internal Affairs............................................................................................................................. 13

Representative of the First Estate — Jean-Sifrein Maury .......................................................................... 13

Representative of the First Estate — Charles Maurice de Talleyrand-Périgord ..................................... 14

Representative of the Second Estate — Jacques Antoine Marie de Cazalès ............................................ 14

Representative of the Second Estate — Antoine Destutt de Tracy .......................................................... 14

Representative of the Third Estate — Maximilien Robespierre ............................................................... 14

Representative of the Third Estate and Secretary of State — Honoré Gabriel Riqueti ......................... 14

Supporters of the Second Estate — The Nobility ....................................................................................... 14

Interim President of the National Assembly — Stanislas Marie Adelaide .............................................. 14

Commander-in-Chief of the National Guard — Marquis de Lafayette .................................................. 14

Minister of Justice — Adrien Duport........................................................................................................... 15

Minister of the Interior — François-Emmanuel Guignard ...................................................................... 15

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Minister of War — Jean-Frédéric de la Tour du Pin-Gouvernet ............................................................. 15

Minister of Foreign Affairs — Armand Marc ............................................................................................. 15

Supporters of the Third Estate ...................................................................................................................... 15

Leader of the Constitutional Committee — Emmanual Joseph Sieyès ................................................... 15

Minister of Finance — Jacques Necker ........................................................................................................ 15

Minister of Social Affairs — Antoine Barnave............................................................................................ 16

Minister of Education — Jean-Sylvain Bailly .............................................................................................. 16

Minister of Commerce — Dominique-Vincent Ramel-Nogaret ............................................................. 16

Minister of the Navy — Pierre Victor .......................................................................................................... 16

Minister of Communications — Bertrand Barère ...................................................................................... 16

Revolutionary Journalist — Jean-Paul Marat ............................................................................................. 16

Discussion Questions ........................................................................................................................... 17

Bibliography .......................................................................................................................................... 18

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National Constituent Assembly, 1789

Overview

On the 14th of July 1789, the symbol of the French monarchy—the Bastille—is stormed by revolutionaries. A new era of liberalism and radicalism is being ushered into the tune of the newly written La Marseillaise. The political landscape of Europe is thoroughly dominated by monarchical empires; nevertheless, in the heart of Western Europe, the nation of France begins to radicalize, and the continent witnesses the beginning of great political and social upheaval. France, deeply in debt, is at the peak of an economic crisis. Furthermore, the nation is at a time of political and ideological strife with the creation of a new National Constituent Assembly.

As members of the National Constituent Assembly, delegates are tasked with creating the first constitution for France, lifting the nation from an economic crisis, unifying the increasingly radical opinions of revolutionary parties, and potentially usurping the millennia-old French monarchy. Not only are there significant economic and political issues plaguing France, but also dire social dilemmas; ethical debates on slavery and the fundamental human rights of free speech, suffrage, emancipation, and equity can be traced back to this fatherland.

The developing situation that delegates will face is fast-paced, and every crisis you encounter will have immediate consequences on the unstable nation, profoundly impacting the global political climate of both the present and the future. The dynamic nature of this crisis provides delegates with unrestrained agency in determining the future of France.

Timeline

1651 — The English Civil War results in the execution of the monarchy and the establishment of a republican commonwealth under Oliver Cromwell. The resulting Bill of Rights introduces the idea of a constitutional monarchy, as well as a parliament that restricts the power of the monarch.

1740–1748 — The War of the Austrian Succession sees the defeat of the Kingdom of France and the installation of Maria Theresa as the Habsburg monarch. Unresolved animosities result in the Seven Years’ War, wherein France is defeated yet again and transfers many of its colonial possessions to the Anglo-Prussian coalition.

1774 — Louis XVI, the current ruling monarch, ascends the throne.

1775 — Anne Robert Jacques Turgot, the Controller-General of Finance at the time, implements new financial reforms that cause bread prices to rise.

1776 — The United States of America declares independence from the British Empire. Subsequently, the Kingdom of France declares war on Britain in support of the American revolutionaries.

1779 — Jacques Necker, the Minister of Finance, abolishes serfdom in France.

1780 — By royal decree, torture is abolished in France.

1783 — The Treaty of Paris ends the American Revolutionary War. Peace is established between France and Britain, though aiding the American revolutionaries has crippled France’s finances.

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1787 — Louis XVI signs the Edict of Versailles to end the persecution of French Protestants.

July 1788 — A drought and subsequent hailstorm devastate crops across France.

August 8, 1788 — The royal treasury is depleted, and the Parlement of Paris refuses to aid the government in reforming tax policies or lend the government money. In response, the government calls for the Estates-General to convene to win over their support.

January 1789 — Emmanuel Joseph Sieyès publishes his famous pamphlet, "What is the Third Estate?" which demanded equal representation for the common folk of France. A Cahiers de Doléances is drawn up to inform the King of the grievances of the three Estates.

May 5, 1789 — The Estates-General convene in Paris.

June 17, 1789 — The Third Estate declares itself the National Assembly. The clergy vote to join the Assembly two days later.

June 20, 1789 — The so-called Tennis Court Oath, a declaration made by deputies of the Third Estate, is made. Consequently, the Third Estate separates from the Estates-General and forms the new National Assembly.

July 6, 1789 — A committee of 30 members is created by the National Assembly and tasked with drafting a new constitution.

July 9, 1789 — The National Assembly renames itself the National Constituent Assembly to reflect their desire for a national constitution.

July 14, 1789 (Crisis Initiation) — The Bastille, a fortress that serves as a symbol of the crown in Paris, is assailed by a large crowd of insurgents disenfranchised with the monarchy.

Historical Analysis

Emergence of France (1000 CE) The monarchy of the French Empire can be traced back to the Capetian dynasty of the 10th century. The Kingdom of West Francia emerged from the ruins of the Carolingian Empire (800-888) and was established in 987 by Hugh Capet, its first monarch. Over the next few centuries, the Kingdom of West Francia expanded, and the lands under it became known collectively as “France.” The population of France comprised mostly of romance-language speakers and the Franks, a Germanic group of people whose demonym gave the feudal empire its name. Philip II (1165-1223) was the first monarch to proclaim himself “King of France,” which marked a shift from the cultural identity of the region as the “Land of Franks” to a political entity.1

The Capetian dynasty reigned uninterrupted until King Charles IV of France passed away without any male heirs or brothers. The ensuing war of succession between the French House of Valois and the English House of Plantagenet became known as the Hundred Years’ War. Ultimately, the House of Valois achieved victory with

1 John Frederick Drinkwater, Bernard S. Bachrach and Others, “France,” Encyclopaedia Britannica, January 15, 2020, https://www.britannica.com/place/France/History#ref40258.

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the aid of Joan of Arc. The war had prompted the rapid evolution of military technologies and techniques, as well as the centralization of the French state. In addition, France became an absolute monarchy at the end of the war.

France’s transformation into an absolute monarchy was a response to the need to consolidate control over finances and the ability to wage war. This system of governance of the House of Valois, marked by state centralization and feudalism, has recently been termed the “Ancien Régime” by revolutionaries.

Ancien Régime (15th Century–Present) Since the 10th century, the society of the so-called Ancien Régime has been traditionalist and communal. Under it, each person in France is a subject of the King. Although there exists a strong national identity and privileges available only to Frenchmen, there is no overarching law that applies equally to all citizens. Official citizenship does not exist, only the prevailing loyalty of subjects to their lords and the King. Because France is an absolute monarchy, the King is the ultimate governing authority of the state and has unlimited political power. As the King's subjects, the people of France are categorized by class and by region; all inhabitants belong to one of three estates: the First Estate, consisting of the clergy, the Second Estate, made up of the nobility, and the Third Estate, comprising the commoners.

The clergy comprises just one percent of the population yet wields substantial power as a separate entity from the Crown. Furthermore, because the divine right of kings is used to legitimize the power of the absolute monarch of France, maintaining cordial relations with the clergy is vital to the monarch if he wishes to remain in power. The French Catholic Church, a subsidiary of the Roman Catholic Church, still dominates the religious landscape of France, as almost all citizens adhere to this faith.2 The Church also gathers considerable wealth in the form of tithes—taxes paid to the Church—and owns around six percent of the land in France.3 Despite the Church’s intolerance towards other religions, it is surprisingly supportive of modern thought and progress. The Church established the Académie Française in 1635 and protected intellectuals during the Enlightenment period.4

The nobility controls most of the France’s wealth and political power through manorialism. In return for fiefs—land on which peasants can farm—vassals provide labour and a source of income, through taxes, for the nobles. With the system of manorialism dominating the feudal landscape, the lords of the manors have economic and legal power over the peasants working on the fiefs. Notably, the nobility is exempt from many taxes imposed on the Third Estate. Despite this exemption, the Crown wields a considerable amount of power over the Second Estate and has implemented policies to ensure that nobles do not become too powerful. One example of this stipulation is the intendants, who provide royal supervision in provinces and facilitate administrative unity and centralization in the nation. By centralizing power, these intendants prevent the possibility of powerful landlords creating powerful internal alliances and separating from the Kingdom of France.

2 D. M. G. Sutherland, “Claude Langlois’s French Revolution,” JSTOR, 2013, https://www.jstor.org/stable/42703748?seq=1#metadata_info_tab_contents. 3 Gemma Betros, “The French Revolution and the Catholic Church,” History Today, December 2010, https://www.historytoday.com/archive/french-revolution-and-catholic-church. 4 “Académie Française,” Académie Française, http://www.academie-francaise.fr.

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The Third Estate consists of the bourgeoisie, commoners, and peasants, numbering roughly 27 million in 1789. Composing approximately 85 percent of the French population, they mostly consist of poor tenants on feudal estates working in the agricultural sector.5 Commoners of the Third Estate also include professionals such as artisans and merchants in urban areas, skilled workers relying on guilds to operate in their respective industries. Nevertheless, commoners are barely able to afford bread and rent in cramped urban environments. The bourgeoisie, also known as the middle class, is divided into the well-off petit bourgeoisie and the affluent haute bourgeoisie. The petit bourgeoisie consists of small store owners, landowners, and factory managers, while the haute bourgeoisie is made up of industrialists, high-ranking merchants associated with intercontinental trade, medical and legal practitioners, and business tycoons.

Age of Exploration (16th-17th Centuries) While the political landscape of France during the second millennium grew to be increasingly centralized, its economy remained disorderly and primarily district based. With the end of religious conflicts in Europe due to the Peace of Westphalia, powerful emerging empires looked to lands beyond Europe to increase their wealth. The emergence of centralized kingdoms in Europe introduced a certain economic stability in the region as the population—and subsequently trade—increased. Shortly after, the European Renaissance popularized humanist and rationalist ideas, while the Protestant Reformation destabilized the religion and culture in Europe. Europe began contacting indigenous populations in Africa, Asia, and the Americas, establishing new markets, creating syncretic cultures, and introducing their written languages to these continents. The establishment of new maritime technologies, as well as the success of European explorers such as Cortés and Columbus, introduced the era of the Columbian exchange where goods, cultures, and even diseases were disseminated across the world through overseas trade.6

The dominant economic theory of the time, mercantilism, encouraged nations to produce more exports than imports to control global trade and gain power; accordingly, France thus turned to colonization. The need for expensive maritime technologies spurred the centralization of bureaucracy in the nation and also limited the ability to colonize distant lands to a small number of prominent empires—France, Britain, Portugal, Spain, and the Dutch Republic—that were powerful enough to financially sustain maritime exploration. Motivated by greed, these states sought to establish trading-post empires around the world to control sea routes and markets. By the end of the 17th century, France had established colonies in Canada and Louisiana, the West Indies, and Guiana. These colonies supplemented a great portion of France’s income, but the difficulty of sustaining them financially would also be one of the leading sources of France’s later economic struggles.

Age of Enlightenment (18th Century) The revolutionary ideas of the Enlightenment can be traced back to the intellectual musings of the 16th-century Renaissance, wherein humanist ideas were evoked in the arts, sciences, politics and literature. Humanism's ideas, which valued rational and empirical reasoning over superstition or religious teachings, were disseminated across

5 Jennifer Llewellyn and Steve Thompson, “The Third Estate,” Alpha History, October 23, 2018, https://alphahistory.com/frenchrevolution/third-estate/. 6 Irfan Habib, "Towards a Political Economy of Colonialism," JSTOR, 2017, https://www.jstor.org/stable/26380342?seq=1#metadata_info_tab_contents.

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Western Europe from their Renaissance roots in Italy.7 The beliefs of human equality and freedom stem from the Humanist reasoning that humans can be autonomous and resolve their issues through science, instead of waiting for divine intervention. Indeed, even Christian humanists condemned scholastic theology and indulgences and championed the idea that the secular and religious states had the responsibility to prioritize the needs of ordinary people.8 Much of the Enlightenment discussion occurred in salons run by women, propagated by philosophes—public intellectuals—such as Denis Diderot, Jean-Jacques Rousseau, and Charles-Louis de Secondat (more commonly known as Montesquie). Furthermore, technological developments such as the printing press enabled ideas to spread faster than ever before through newspapers, pamphlets, and the press.

The core principles of the Enlightenment include empiricism, rationalism, meliorism, and utilitarianism.9 Empiricism is the theory that concrete evidence is needed to prove an idea rather than intuition, while rationalism is the belief that human opinions and actions should be dictated by reason and logic as opposed to emotions or religion. In congruence with these beliefs, philosophes reasoned that the clergy should not be as revered as they are, as the common people may be able to interpret the gospel themselves. Another result of empiricism and rationalism is the reconstruction of the French education system; a new emphasis was placed on history, math, physics and geography, as well as the scientific method.

Meliorism is the idea that humans can achieve progress through effort and have the ability to improve the world. It is a foundation of liberalism, democracy, and human rights, in that humankind can create a fairer and happier world through self-governance. Utilitarianism is the ethical and philosophical theory that the morally correct course of action is the one that maximizes the well-being of the greatest number of people. When combined, these principles contribute to the idea that the absolute right of kings is a superficial and inferior form of governance compared to a representative system, as the right of the individual and the collective will of the people should be prioritized. Some popular schools of thought recommended the establishment of a parliament to counterbalance the power of the monarch or championed the idea that there is no superior form of government, and governments should instead be formed based on the unique climates of each nation. In general, support rose for forms of governance that promoted equality and the voice of citizens during the Enlightenment. Regarding the economy, a laissez-faire, laissez-aller approach had been popularized as it promoted minimal government intervention and advocated for a freer market.

Seven Years’ War (1756-1763) The Seven Years’ War was fought between two coalitions, with Britain leading Prussia and Portugal, and France leading the Holy Roman Empire, Spain, and the Russian Empire. Fought across five continents, the conflict was ignited by territorial disputes in the New World between Britain and France, and resulted in the cession of many French colonial territories east of the Mississippi River—Louisiana, Canada, Grenada, and parts of India—to the

7 Timothy C. Champion and Michael Frassetto, “History of Europe: The Age of Enlightenment,” Encyclopaedia Britannica, July 19, 2019, https://www.britannica.com/topic/history-of-Europe/The-Enlightenment. 8 Timothy C. Champion and Michael Frassetto, “History of Europe: Northern Humanism,” Encyclopaedia Britannica, July 19, 2019, https://www.britannica.com/topic/history-of-Europe/Northern-Humanism. 9 William Bristow, "Enlightenment," The Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy, August 29, 2017, https://plato.stanford.edu/archives/fall2017/entries/enlightenment.

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victorious British coalition. The loss also greatly shifted the power balance in Europe against the French Empire, an injustice warranting retribution to this day.

An immediate effect of the Seven Years’ War was the Diplomatic Revolution of 1756, wherein the enduring alliances that Austria and Prussia had held were reversed. Austria shifted from an alliance with Britain to an alliance with France, while Prussia changed from being allies with France to being allies with Britain.

American Revolutionary War (1775-1783) Understanding France’s role in the American Revolution is crucial to discerning France’s current economic and social crises. Embittered by its defeat during the Seven Years’ War, France saw the American Revolutionary War as a means of weakening the British Empire and exacting revenge. However, the revolution also symbolized a complete rejection of the monarchical system of government and demonstrated that sedition may be a viable method of realizing the Enlightenment ideals of fairness and equality. Many insurgents in France look towards the United States’ Declaration of Independence as an inspiration, especially in its focus on human rights such as “Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness”.

French support for American revolutionaries took the form of significant financial investment and military aid. Between 1778 and 1782, France directly lent the revolutionaries 43 million livres and supplied naval ships and soldiers.10 Before the official alliance, France also secretly sent supplies such as gunpowder and weapons to the Americans. Although victorious, France accumulated 1 billion livres of debt as a result of the conflict, making its financial situation utterly disastrous. France’s finance minister, Jacques Necker, further worsened the situation by attempting to repay debts through loans.11

Current Situation

It is presumptuous to say that the Ancien Régime is a relic of the past; it has governed French society for the past millennium, and its influence will not be shaken off easily. Nevertheless, as the nation balances between a desire to return to the safety of the old order and the overwhelming unknown of revolution, the current state of France is extremely volatile.

Internal Affairs France is developing into a consumer society, where entrepreneurial opportunities have given the poor an avenue to rapidly increase their wealth.12 Although trade is still viewed as a dishonourable occupation, a middle class of merchants, artisans, and salesmen is proliferating. The rise of the bourgeoisie can be attributed not only to newfound commercial wealth, but also to the increase in population during the 18th century. Although the rise

10 James Breck Perkins, “France and the American Revolution,” Proceedings of the New York State Historical Association, https://www.jstor.org/stable/42889840. 11 Robert D. Harris, "French Finances and the American War, 1777-1783," The Journal of Modern History 48, 1976, www.jstor.org/stable/1879828. 12 Thomas E. Kaiser, "Feudalism and the French Revolution," The History Teacher 12, no. 2, 1979, 203-16.

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in population has heightened demand for food and employment, it has also resulted in greater investment opportunities and more consumers in the market.13

Despite the increase in skilled workers, the vast majority of the French public are still farmers, and peasants own 40 percent of the land.14 Recently, the modernization of agriculture has occurred through policies in land management, such as the division of common land and conversion of arable land to pastures.15 Nevertheless, only around one-third of the French population can read and write; this literate minority is concentrated in the north and east, in areas such as Paris where urbanization has rapidly occurred in recent decades. As such, enlightened debate, which requires a certain amount of education to understand, is limited to a narrow portion of the population that is literate and can afford to care for scholarly philosophy.

Rather, most of the population is currently more concerned with their survival. The 20 years leading up to 1789 have been a time of economic difficulties. The Controller-General of Finance implemented reforms in 1775 which increased bread prices. As a result of the growing population, demand for bread has risen, and the wealth gap continues to widen. More recently, a chronic drought in the spring of 1788 and a subsequent hailstorm in July ruined crops across France; grain crops are at one-quarter of their normal yield, and by January, France has encountered a desperate shortage of food. As a result, grain prices are outrageously high, and peasants are spending over 85 percent of their income on bread.16

International Relations The nations surrounding France in Europe, by nature of their monarchical governments, are extremely wary of France’s current revolutionary tendencies. With the precarious power balance on the continent between the Great Powers, any attempts at continental domination will be heavily opposed. As one of the five Great Powers in Europe—which also include Britain, Prussia, Russia, and the Holy Roman Empire—France has significant power in shaping the future of the European continent. Nevertheless, with the Diplomatic Revolution of 1756 creating a complex web of political alliances and rivalries, France must tread carefully in its foreign affairs.

13 Ibid. 14 Jean F.P. Blondel and Patrice Louis-René Higonnet, “France, 1715–89.” Encyclopædia Britannica. December 18, 2019. https://www.britannica.com/place/France/France-1715-89. 15 Ibid. 16 J. Neumann, “Great Historical Events That Were Significantly Affected by the Weather: 2, The Year Leading to the Revolution of 1789 in France.” AMS100, 1977, https://doi.org/10.1175/1520-0477(1977058<0163:GHETWS>2.0.CO;2

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Map of Central Europe, 1789.17

Kingdom of Great Britain Great Britain is a historic rival of France and has spearheaded the coalition opposing France during the Seven Years’ War. France harbours a substantial amount of resentment towards Great Britain, ruled by King George III, as they have seized many of France’s colonial possessions and attempted to annex France in the Hundred Years’ War. Great Britain is a constitutional monarchy, with legislative power vested in its parliament.

Kingdom of Prussia The Kingdom of Prussia is led by Frederick William II, an idle man without great ambition who is the antithesis of his predecessor, Frederick the Great—the skillful general who elevated Prussia to a military powerhouse. Under Frederick William II, Prussia is weakening and has developed an agenda in opposition to Enlightenment ideals. Within this agenda, Frederick seeks to restore Protestantism in his Kingdom. The Kingdom of Prussia is an absolute monarchy that constantly seeks the unification of all German States. Animosity between France and Prussia has recently risen over Prussia's decision to ally itself with Britain in the Treaty of Versailles of 1756; France subsequently decided to ally itself with Austria, Prussia’s rival.

Holy Roman Empire

17 "Map of Europe, 1789," Blendspace tes, n.d. https://www.tes.com/lessons/wMGfXe4vh16Czg/the-start-of-the-reign-of-terror-execution-of-louis.

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The Holy Roman Emperor also serves as the head of the House of Habsburg. Thus, the Empire includes the domains of the Habsburg monarchy, such as the Austrian Empire, along with many other German states. The current Holy Roman Emperor, King Leopold II, is the brother of the present Queen of France—Marie Antoinette—and is therefore likely to support the French monarchy if internal conflicts arise in France.18 While France is a centralized nation, the Holy Roman Empire is a collection of decentralized states and imperial cities, and maintains an ongoing rivalry with the Kingdom of Prussia. Of note, many German territories—which Prussia wishes to consolidate into a German Empire—are under the Holy Roman Empire, inciting further animosity between the two empires.

Russian Empire Catherine II, commonly known as Catherine the Great, became the absolute monarch of Russia in 1762 as a result of a coup d’état that overthrew her husband. Since her rise to power, Russia has witnessed an unprecedented “Golden Age,” with rapid modernization and administrative reform ushering Russia onto the world stage as a Great Power. Holding enlightenment ideals in high esteem, Catherine the Great is wary of the turmoil occurring within France, but is unlikely to engage in the affairs of Western Europe unless directly provoked. Furthermore, the Russian Empire is, alongside the Habsburg monarchy and Prussia, currently occupied with the Partitions of Poland.

Military The French Royal Army is a nationalized military that occasionally hires Swiss mercenaries. Conscription only truly applies during wartime, and most of the recruitment for the militia is done through voluntary recruitment campaigns.19 Currently, there is a high number of deserters, as soldiers often sympathize with the masses they are recruited from and share in the common people's dislike of the monarchy. Additionally, troops now often disobey orders from above, and some have even joined rioting crowds instead of suppressing them.

Formed on July 14, 1789, the National Guard serves as the police force and gendarmerie of Paris. It succeeds the Royal Watch, which was under royal supervision, and is led by the Marquis de Lafayette. Its purpose is to be a bourgeoisie militia separate from the Crown, and although it currently only exists in Paris, the National Guard aims to establish branches in all townships of France to serve as the local law enforcement.20

Government The Estates-General existed as the representative assembly of France until the eve of this crisis. It consisted of 1,200 deputies from the three Estates. Its gathering in May 1789 was the first time the Estates-General had met since 1614. In the Estates-General, the Third Estates had double the number of deputies of the other two estates. However, the system of voting by Estate order allowed the clergy and nobility to veto decisions they disliked, regardless of what the majority had voted on. Thus, the system was greatly biased against the Third Estate.

18 Peter N. Stearns and Marie-Louise Stig Sørensen, “The Great Age of Monarchy, 1648–1789,” Encyclopædia Britannica, July 19, 2019, https://www.britannica.com/topic/history-of-Europe/The-great-age-of-monarchy-1648-1789. 19 Thomas Hippler, “The French army, 1789-1914,” Thomas Hippler.net, http://thomas-hippler.net/wp-content/uploads/2016/10/The_French_Army_1789-1914_Volunteers_Pre.pdf. 20 Ibid.

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Nonetheless, the Estates-General only served as an advisory body for the King and did not hold any legislative or judicial power.

Almost all the points that were discussed in the Estates-General—and will again be discussed in the National Constituent Assembly—were derived from the Cahiers de Doléances, a list of grievances and suggested reforms from all three Estates. The Cahiers were drawn up between March and April of 1789 at the King’s order.21 The Cahier of the First Estate reflected the interests of the parish clergy and demanded the reduction of dioceses—territories owned by a bishop—to one per bishop, and a no-tolerance policy towards non-Catholics; the First Estate was willing to give up the financial privileges of the Church in exchange for such conditions to be met. The Second Estate requested that the Estates-General convene more frequently and that their influence was increased. Surprisingly, 88 percent of the nobility were open to giving up some financial privileges for increased influence. The Third Estate’s cahier echoed the sentiments of Sieyès' “What is the Third Estate” and mostly protested the burden of state taxation and the financial privileges that only the other two Estates were entitled to. Moreover, the Third Estate appealed for the voting within the Estates-General to be conducted via popular vote instead of by Estates order.

At the beginning of June 1789, the nobility and clergy voted to separate themselves from the Estates-General and form individual chambers. However, the Third Estate refused to separate; after negotiations between the estates yielded no compromise, on June 17, the Third Estate declared that they were to separate and create the National Assembly. They invited the deputies of the First and Second Estates to join the National Assembly, and while 150 deputies of the clergy accepted the offer, the nobility denounced the move as illegal.22

Subsequently, on June 20, the deputies of the newly proclaimed National Assembly found the chambers locked and surrounded by soldiers of the monarchy. Thus, the deputies proceeded to the nearby tennis court and made the infamous declaration that they would remain united and reassemble indefinitely until a constitution is established in France. This groundbreaking declaration, signed by 576 members of the Third Estate, was the first time the representatives of the people had formally opposed the King and refused to concede.

With the proclamation of a new Assembly and the opposition against the monarchy demonstrated by the Tennis Court Oath, the King was under immense pressure to win back the deputies’ favour. On June 23, the King decided to reform the government into a constitutional monarchy. Additionally, he promised to honour civil liberties and fiscal equality. On June 27, he conceded to the Third Estates’ demands to conduct voting by headcount rather than by Estate order.

The National Assembly was renamed the National Constituent Assembly on July 9, and now holds a substantial amount of legislative and political power granted by the King. Furthermore, its resolutions are obeyed by corporations and heeded by the military, giving it immense influence in the nation. The King has recognized the National Constituent Assembly as a powerful governing body and the constitution-drafting organ of the government.

21 George V. Taylor, "Revolutionary and Nonrevolutionary Content in the Cahiers of 1789: An Interim Report," French Historical Studies7, no. 4 (1972: 479 -502. doi:10.2307/286194. 22 Jeremy Klar, “The French Revolution, Napoleon, and the Republic: Liberte, Egalite, Fraternite,” Britannica Educational Publishing, 2016.

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Initiating Crisis

In response to the economic, social, and political crises the Kingdom of France faces, a meeting of the National Constituent Assembly has been called by royal decree. In the past week, the following cascade of events has created upheaval in the nation. If the insurgency is allowed to continue, it may lead to the collapse of the Kingdom. To defend the Assembly, 20,000 troops have been corralled in Paris; although the assembly’s safety may be temporarily guaranteed, the country is in a perilous state.

On July 11, the popular finance minister Jacques Necker was dismissed from office by the Crown for over-sympathizing with the Third Estate. As a result, panic spread among the Third Estate in Paris; in the following days, numerous bread riots occurred as civilians attempted to hoard food in fear of a famine. Civilians also attempted to convince soldiers to support their cause.

On July 12, the military governor of the Bastille transferred 250 barrels of gunpowder into the fortress and prepared reinforcements against the revolutionaries.23

On July 13, many protestors raided armourers’ shops for weapons in preparation for an insurgency.

On July 14, when a crowd of almost 1 000 raided the Hôtel des Invalides to pilfer thousands of rifles, they were met with no resistance. Subsequently, the mob stormed the Bastille, which has been a longstanding symbol of royal authority in Paris. The mob was met with resistance at the Bastille but managed to overpower the military. Fuelled by this success, the mob then lynched and executed the soldiers defending the Bastille. While the Paris municipality revolted, 26 of the 30 largest French cities also followed suit and demonstrated against the King. The Marquis de Lafayette has formed the National Guard to restore order in the capital, while Necker has been reappointed to his post amidst the crisis.

Portfolio Overviews

Council of Internal Affairs The Council of Internal Affairs is a body within the National Constituent Assembly consisting of two representatives from each Estate. On matters related to the internal affairs of France—namely the enforcement of French laws, values, and faith—each member of the Council casts a vote in favour or against the directive. The outcome is decided by a simple majority, with the State Secretary casting two votes.

Representative of the First Estate — Jean-Sifrein Maury A defender of the Ancien Régime and the clergy, Maury is a firm advocate for the protection and continued influence of the Church. He may cast a vote on matters of internal affairs as a member of the Council.

23 History.com Editors, “French Revolutionaries Storm the Bastille,” HISTORY, November 24, 2009, https://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/french-revolutionaries-storm-bastille.

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Representative of the First Estate — Charles Maurice de Talleyrand-Périgord Talleyrand is the representative of the Catholic Church to the French Crown. Nevertheless, he harbours doubts about clericalism and the exclusivity of the clergy. He may cast a vote on matters of internal affairs as a member of the Council.

Representative of the Second Estate — Jacques Antoine Marie de Cazalès Cazalès is a semi-conservative member of the Assembly who advocates for a constitution modelled on Britain’s. He believes that humans are not all equal, and that the right of declaring war belongs to the Crown. He may cast a vote on matters of internal affairs as a member of the Council.

Representative of the Second Estate — Antoine Destutt de Tracy An enlightenment philosopher, Tracy rejects monarchism and advocates for republicanism and a laissez-faire model for the economy. He is mainly focused on developing social theories and is an advocate for enlightenment ideals. He may cast a vote on matters of internal affairs as a member of the Council.

Representative of the Third Estate — Maximilien Robespierre Robespierre is a lawyer and advocate for the universal suffrage for men, the abolition of slavery, and liberal militia policies. In his earlier career he had protested the death penalty, but as his radical beliefs intensified, he is willing to forego his values to realize his ideals. As a prominent advocate for those without a voice or those unfairly denied a say as part of the Third Estate, Robespierre is a representative of the Third Estate who votes on matters of France’s internal affairs.

Representative of the Third Estate and Secretary of State — Honoré Gabriel Riqueti Although his social status places him in the Second Estate, Riqueti — commonly referred to as Mirabeau, the region of which he is the Count — was a deputy of the Third Estate in the Estates-General and aligns himself with members of the Third Estate in the Assembly. He advocates for a constitutional monarchy based on that of Britain and believes that a government must abide by the wishes of its people to be successful. He is well known to the French public for his scandals involving women, debt, crime, and a pamphlet disparaging the leaders of Prussia. As the State Secretary, Riqueti is one of the executives of the government’s administration and can cast two votes on decisions related to France’s internal affairs.

Supporters of the Second Estate — The Nobility

Interim President of the National Assembly — Stanislas Marie Adelaide A noble from a family of military officers, Adelaide is the leader of a minority of liberal nobles. He seeks to keep the monarchy in place while also establishing a constitution for France that is based on the constitution of England. He holds moderate views that clash with the radicalism currently rampant in the Assembly. His charisma has earned him the position as the Assembly’s Interim President, allowing him to break any ties on public directives.

Commander-in-Chief of the National Guard — Marquis de Lafayette Lafayette is a hero of the American Revolution who is highly skilled in military affairs, having been an officer since age 13. He favours a moderate path for France and, as a friend of the founding fathers of America, idealizes

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human rights in accordance with natural law. His position as Commander-in-Chief allows him full control over the actions of the National Guard, which numbers around 20,000 men in the Île-de-France region, as well as contact budding branches of the National Guard in other regions.

Minister of Justice — Adrien Duport Duport is an influential lawyer and an active member of the Freemasons. Within the Assembly, he advocates for reform of France's judicial system. As the Minister of Justice, he has the power to assemble a tribunal for crimes or subpoena a member of the committee with sufficient evidence. He can also change to the voting style of the Assembly on one proposal once every committee session.

Minister of the Interior — François-Emmanuel Guignard A previous military colonel and foreign ambassador to the Ottoman Empire, Guignard is now a loyal supporter of the King. He has control over the flow of people in and out of the nation, civil security, and the election of officials to the National Assembly.

Minister of War — Jean-Frédéric de la Tour du Pin-Gouvernet An experienced and skilled military leader, de la Tour is an aristocrat and commander of the Aunis, Saintonge, Poitou and Lower Angoumois, Poitou and Saintonge provinces of France. Along with his title of Minister of War, he is the Lieutenant-General of the Armies of the King. Accordingly, he oversees the French military, and dictates the movement of French troops and oversees advancements in military technologies.

Minister of Foreign Affairs — Armand Marc An admirer of Jacques Necker, Marc proceeded to resign following Necker’s dismissal from office, and returned to the office when Necker was reinstated. Previously an ambassador to Madrid, Marc is responsible for maintaining — or severing — the relationships the Kingdom of France has with other nations. With his position comes the power to contact the government of any nation France is not currently at war with, and the ability to conduct negotiations with foreign governments.

Supporters of the Third Estate

Leader of the Constitutional Committee — Emmanual Joseph Sieyès Also known as abbé Sieyès for his role in the Roman Catholic clergy, Sieyès wrote the radical pamphlet “What is the Third Estate?” in 1789, which laid out the doctrine for the establishment of the National Constituent Assembly. Although his profession makes him a member of the First Estate, he was elected to the National Assembly as a deputy of the Third Estate. He is abhorred by the privilege that the nobles and clergy hold over the members of the Third Estate. As the leader in discussions on representation and popular sovereignty, Sieyès has been tasked with writing a new Declaration and/or Constitution for France and can limit editing rights to these documents to five members of his choice.

Minister of Finance — Jacques Necker Recently reinstated to office by popular demand, Necker is responsible for the finances of the Kingdom and fixing the disastrous state of the treasury. He believes in transparency in the government’s finances and that tax reforms can ameliorate France’s fiscal situation. He is a constitutional monarchist but was an adamant objector

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against France’s involvement in the American Revolution as he had predicted that an unmanageable financial burden would follow. His role as the Minister of Finance allows him control over the national budget and interest rates.

Minister of Social Affairs — Antoine Barnave A lawyer and influential orator, Barnave is a vocal member of the National Assembly. He hopes to establish a constitutional monarchy to reconcile ideals of political freedom while maintaining the Bourbon royals. In his capacity as minister, he oversees the social rights of citizens — including wages, the labour market, and proprietorship.

Minister of Education — Jean-Sylvain Bailly Bailly is a scientist renowned for his work in astronomy and mathematics. He was the first to take the Tennis Court Oath and was the President of the National Assembly until July 3. As Minister of Education, he not is not only responsible for the academia of France, but also the technological advancements and scientific affairs created by the academia.

Minister of Commerce — Dominique-Vincent Ramel-Nogaret Hailing from a family of merchants, Ramel-Nogaret has been tasked with sorting out the markets of France while the economy remains in shambles. He is entrusted with managing the nation’s trade with its neighbours, as well as France’s imperial commercial enterprises.

Minister of the Navy — Pierre Victor Victor is a successful colonialist administrator who established plantations in French Guiana. He is a staunch monarchist and, due to his ties to the French colonies and their economies, opposes the abolition of slavery. Having led the French navy for over 10 years, he is the highest authority in the naval chain of command and has full control over the operation and mobilization of the French fleet. Furthermore, he manages all of France’s colonies.

Minister of Communications — Bertrand Barère Although he is a lawyer and politician, Barère is best known as a journalist who promotes nationalism and patriotism. He is an advocate for revolutionary activity within the nation. As the Minister of Communications, Barère oversees official communications from the French government, state-controlled newspapers, and, to some degree, the freedom of the press in France.

Revolutionary Journalist — Jean-Paul Marat A political theorist and academic, Marat is a radical writer and ardent supporter of human rights who is unafraid to denounce all those he sees as unjust, whether they be the Crown or members of the Assembly. Marat does not currently have a vote in the Assembly as he is not an official representative but a member of the public participating in the proceedings of the Assembly through royal decree. As a highly distinguished journalist representing the voice of the Third Estate, Marat holds immense sway over the population of France; Marat can publish statements from the committee to the French public, including covertly to circumvent state press restrictions.

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Discussion Questions

1. Who are your existing allies in the constituent assembly? Who may especially hinder your efforts?

2. Which foreign nations can provide France aid during this time? Which could potentially become futureallies?

3. What are some possible ways to ameliorate France’s economic crisis? Which specific sectors could betargeted?

4. What principles should be upheld in the constitution? Which groups of people, if any, does thisconstitution exclude?

5. How could the balance between the monarchy and the Assembly be maintained in the future? Whatconcessions, if any, are the Assembly willing to make?

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