Why did France become a republic in 1792?

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Causes

  • Political clubs
  • Louis' mistakes
  • Public protest
  • War

Effects

  • The political clubs put pressure on the assembly-e.g. radical Jacobins, put pressure on France because they wanted further change e.g. Cordeliers leading journées. Also fed off malcontent e.g. promoting the revolutionary papers like L'Ami du Peuple-led to spread of radical views.
  • The Flight to Varennes 20th/21st June 1791-showed King was untrustworthy and unwilling to co-operate with Assembly. Many perceived him as a traitor. He was inflexible and unwilling to work towards succesful constitutional monarchy-he used the veto fro the first two new major laws of legislative assembly in Nov 1792
  • Public protest once again drove the revolution forward-the march on Tuileries on 10th August 1792 was led by the Sans Culottes and was what forced the end of the constitutional assembly
  • War impacted on the economy-bringing new hardships and more protests e.g. journée of 20th June, 8000 protesters led by Sans Culottes, also increased radicalism with emergence of things like the Marseillaise. Everyone was required to help war effort (la patrie en danger-lessened King's power) which again caused difficulties. The paranoia and fear caused by war also helped to increase radicalism-September massacres (around 2000 prisoners murdered by Sams Culottes and Jacobins). The defeats such as Lafayette deserting to Austria in August made the King's position worse.

Overall summary

Overall it was probably a combination of Louis' unwillingness to properly co-operate with the Assembly and try and make it work and the growing radicalism from the political clubs that caused it to fail although the war sped this process up and the public protest actually forced it through. It was doomed because Louis was never properly committed which gave Jacobins reason to get rid of him.

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