Dive into the instability of Revolutionary France, focusing on the Fructidor Coup, conscription laws, and Napoleon's ascent to power during a time of upheaval.
Instability of Revolutionary France
Alienation and Coups
The Fructidor Coup of 1797
The Directory resumed its assault on the Roman Catholic religion, causing widespread alienation among French citizens.
The government prohibited outward signs of Catholicism, including the ringing of church bells and the display of crosses.
It revived the Revolutionary calendar, which had fallen into disuse after the Thermidorian Reaction.
In 1798, the Directory ordered that décadi (the final day of the 10-day week) be treated as the official day of rest, replacing Sundays.
This confrontation with religious practices eroded the Directory's popularity.
Foreign Policy and Conscription Laws
French citizens were alienated by the Directory's foreign policy and conscription laws.
The Jourdan Law of 19 Fructidor, year VI (September 5, 1798), mandated permanent conscription of young men aged 20-25.
Draft resistance and desertion were widespread during the War of the Second Coalition, which began in 1799.
The war crisis was compounded by alleged corruption among military contractors and government officials.
This discontent led to the 30 Prairial coup of 1799, ousting four of the directors and enabling a brief Neo-Jacobin resurgence.
Power Shift to Disaffected Conservatives
Conservatives, led by Sieyès, gained power and sought a more stable political structure.
These "revisionists" wanted to escape instability and ensure the reforms of 1789 were protected.
Ironically, the Neo-Jacobins, who had once defended the constitution, now stood in opposition to the revisionists.
Napoleon's Role in the Coup
The revisionists enlisted Napoleon Bonaparte, returning from his Egyptian campaign, to support their parliamentary coup.
On 18 Brumaire, year VIII (November 9, 1799), Napoleon addressed the legislature and cleared the hall when deputies resisted his call for a new constitution.
A rump legislature convened to draft the new constitution, and Napoleon emerged as the dominant figure, sidelining Sieyès.
The coup was not a military dictatorship but a parliamentary move for a new constitution, which many saw as a hope for a stable future.
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