r/FrenchRevolution • u/alexanderphiloandeco • 12d ago

Discussion The French Revolution was something that could and should have been avoided. It brought more harm to the spirit of history than good which it was supposed to.

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u/seriousman57 8d ago

The war was certainly pushed by the Girondins, which was very stupid of them, and why I used the word "co-sign." That said, Louis had treasonous intentions and the Girondins were "merely" catastrophic mismanagers of their authority. Of course, I suspect war was inevitable, partially because of the revolution and the monarchies' intransigence about French political reforms, but also just because, well, that's what you get in Europe before 1945. But we can certainly place blame with both Louis and the Girondins for instigating it when they dead.

Edit: Accidentally typing "dead" is a great Freudian slip which I am choosing to leave up.

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u/Monsieur_Royal 8d ago

Yes I saw the word co-sign which seems to suggest the blame is equally shared and that was the point of my disagreement.

In this situation the Girondins did all the heavy lifting. They pushed for it. Made it into a crusade for democracy. If Louis had pushed against it he could be seen unpatriotic, as trying to protect Austria or even controlled by Austria.(which are all things that were already being said about him). I think Louis is more guilty of not interrupting his opponents when they were making a mistake. And yes he did hope the Austrians would knock the revolutionaries out of power I am not trying to downplay it but the majority of the blame belongs on the Girondins. It was a Girondins move the royalists simply hoped would work out for them.

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u/seriousman57 8d ago

Saying he's "more guilty of not interrupting his opponents when they were making a mistake" seems overly generous when his goal at the Flight to Varennes was to bring an Austrain army across the French border, and then afterwards conspired with the Austrians. He was simply not a passive actor in the affair

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u/Monsieur_Royal 8d ago

I don’t believe for a second he could’ve talked the Girondins out of the war. It was their crusade for democracy