The attempts to establish a constitutional monarchy

Political, Judicial and administrative reforms

Back in Paris the deputies of the national assembly, the King and his court brought forward a series of reforms aimed at removing the adminstrative chaos of the past.

Political and administrative reforms - France was divided into 83 departements for election and local government. These were further divided into 547 districts, 4,872 canton and 44,000 communes that would be run by elected councils. More power was also devolved to local areas to act as a safeguard against the monarchy recovering power. The right to vote was granted to 'active citizens' - all men aged over 25 who paid certain levels of tax, around 4 million men in total. The other 3 million 'passive citizens' were ineligible to vote.

Taxation - everyone paid tax under the new system. All were liable to pay the land tax and the tax on commercial profits while just 'active citizens' paid a tax on moveable goods (i.e. grain)

Judicial reforms - a uniform system replaced the previous courts. There was a Justice of the Peace in each canton, trial was by jury, and torture and mutilation was abolished - making justice free and equal for all.

Church Reforms:

• All church property became the property…