How was the Jacobin club perceived from members of the club and those outside of it? Why?
Two stances on the controversies
Understanding the different views on the Parisian Jacobin club is important. It points out not only the righteous and upstanding things the club achieved, but also the undesirable and severe things the club was involved in. Without the knowledge and background of these different views, there is a single, subjected view that only focuses on either the good or the bad. Digging deeper into the good actions and deeds the club partook in, shows how they managed to stay relevant and active throughout the revolution. On the other hand, showcasing the views of their rivals and historians who didn’t agree with the club brings awareness to all of the havoc and disorder they started or fueled. To show the bigger picture on why and how the Jacobin club was as influential and controversial as it was, this exhibit observes both sides of the Jacobin club. The Jacobins perceived their club as a place that supported them and their voice. The clubs, citizens, and foreign powers outside of the Jacobin clubs saw the club as an out of control radical anarchy. They thought this of the Jacobin club because the club would start up riots, get crowds riled. During the era of the terror, the Jacobin \club would accuse people of disloyalty to France. Identifying the influence the Jacobin club had with its own members and those who had an outside view of the club throughout the French revolution of the late 1700s helps create a full picture of the club.
The Emergence of Revolutionary Political Clubs
Revolutionary clubs started as a way to discuss issues and meet about the Estate-General . The earliest known revolutionary club was the Club de Valois co-founded by Abbé Sieyès in early 1789. The club consisted of over 600 members consisting of nobles and high status citizens. Later came what would now be known as the Jacobin club in mid 1789 during the time of the Estate-General.Instead of the name they are most familiarized with, they were known as the Breton Club. Its members were made up of Third-Estate deputies, and met in versailles. They changed their names from the Breton Club to the Société de la Révolution because many of its members left the club to go to Paris with the monarchs. to Société des amis de la Constitution and later on Jacobin club. Their meetings soon started to take place in a Jacobin convent, which is also how they got their name, the Jacobin club. The Jacobin club started fighting against constitutional monarchy and working more towards democracy. that change in views created some members of the club. Those members would soon be known as the Feuillants. After the split, the Jacobins had to become less exclusive in order to attract more members. Its membership would then be more inclusive to commoners and the working class. The Jacobin club would then grow to be the controversial, radical club it is known as today. (Walton, 3).
Figure 1. Seal of the Jacobin Club between 1790-1791.
Both of the images point to two different time periods in which the Jacobin club held power. The first seal was during the times 1790-91. The seal symbolized freedom and unity throughout France and was supported by the monarchs. It was used during the time in which the Feuillants and the Jacobins were still affiliated. During that time, the two clubs that would later part ways, held some of the same views. While they had different views on monarchy, they shared some progressive ideas. They would soon part ways due to the Jacobins planning to go against King Louis XVI. (Fig.1)
Figure 2. Seal of the Jacobin Club after 1792 and after. The second seal was established 1792 and onward until the club dispersed. This seal changed from being for the liberation of the nation to a seal that represented the Jacobin’s liberty and values.
The opposers of the club
Some historians such as François-Alphonse Aulard believed that the true intentions of the Jacobins were not being seen as much as their naivety was. The Jacobins were considered naive because they wanted to spread their republic ideology all across Europe even though they could hardly convince the conservatives in France. (Walton, 2). While the Jacobin club was radical and pushed back against many policies and laws they deemed as injustices towards their liberty, they had probable cause. They were the voice of the people in some people’s views, while on the other hand they were seen as radicals who couldn’t take control over the crowd they had riled up. Members of the Royalist club and conservatives mocked the Jacobins for speaking on things that were far-fetched. When the Jacobins took part in making sacrifices and giving gifts, they were made a mockery by the royalist journalists, Ami Du Roi. (Zizek, 311).
The radical Jacobins club
The Conservatives, Royalists, citizens of France, and foreign powers outside of the Jacobin club saw the club as a radical entity. The Feuillants who were once apart of the Jacobins also believed that the Jacobins were pushing for more than they could handle.(Fig 1.) As seen in Figure 1, both the Jacobins and the Feuillants were merged until the Feuillants went off to become Feuillants. They shared the same seal and some of the same ideology and when the Feuillants saw the Jacobins turn against the monarchy, they argued it was a wrong move. To turn away from the only stability in the country at the time, made the Jacobin club more radical. as shown in Fig 2., the Jacobins later established a new seal in 1792. The Jacobins wanted to broadcast their loyalty to bringing liberty, justice, and freedom to their nation, France.
In favor of the club
Members of the Parisian Jacobin club felt that being in the club was not just an honor but a privilege. First, being a member of the Paris Jacobin club had its benefits. It allowed its members to get insight on what was going on in the assembly before other citizens. It also allowed its members to voice their opinions and grievances and be heard by delegates who were knowledgeable and held power. (Walton, 3). The members of the Jacobin club not only believed their voices could be heard; they also saw the influence they could have by simply being members of the club. The club held so much influential power to the point of still being intact even after the decree of 6 Fructidor year III, dissembled all clubs. Clubs became prohibited with the decree because they were getting out of control. Not only were they involved in the terror, clubs were also taking part in choosing who was faithful and those who could partake in public office. the Jacobin club went as far as taking down Robespierre on July 1794. A year later in 1795, all clubs were being abolished because of the power and influence they held in France. After clubs were abolished, a new constitution establishing a five man directory. (Cossart, 20). Even though all clubs were abolished, some still persisted during the directory.
Contributions to the nation
The Jacobin club was a mix of influential people and those who were among the working class. The mix of the different classes allowed for power over not only those of high status but also the public. When the Jacobins wanted policy or law changes (tax collection and trade laws, they influenced the crowds to assemble and riot or help contribute to the nation. (Walton,6). Even though some people outside of the clubs viewed it as radical, the club was also known for being charitable and considerate. “At a time when Church-run-schools were closing (the result of expropriations), Jacobins took it as their duty to offer public instruction.” (Walton,6). Not only was the club guiding the public, but it was also swaying them to help the nation in times of need. “About 60 percent of the founders of the club of Aigueperse had enrolled in the Philanthropic Society.” (Kennedy, 704). From the start, the Jacobins had invested in supporting their nation in any way they could.
Disputes till the end
Time and time again, the speculations about the Paris Jacobins never ceased. The right-centre-right clubs such as the Royalists and conservatives believed that the club was meaningless and only created anarchy. (Walton, 5,15). They believed so because they didn't agree with the Jacobins pushing against Monarchy, classism, and reforms that forced significant change in France. The commoners, poor sections, and members of the Jacobin club thought otherwise. Getting to know both points of view allows for unbiased conversations of the club’s significance. To truly get a grasp of why the Paris Jacobin Club was the most influential club of its time, one must understand that it created a strong social and political standing through its controversies and ideology.
Bibliography
Cossart, Paula, and Clare Tame.From Deliberation to Demonstration : Political Rallies in France, 1868-1939. Ecpr Press Essays. Colcheste, UK: ECPR Press, 2013.
Seal of the Jacobin Club, Société des amis de la Constitution, 1790-1791. Digital Image. Wikipedia Commons.https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:JacobinVignette01.jpg
Seal of the Jacobin Club, Des Jacobins Amis De La Liberte et de lega lite , 1792 and after. Digital Image. Wikipedia Commons.https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:JacobinVignette03.jpg
Kennedy, Michael L. "The Foundation of the Jacobin Clubs and the Development of the Jacobin Club Network, 1789-1791." The Journal of Modern History 51, no. 4 (1979): 701-33. Accessed April 20, 2020. www.jstor.org/stable/1877163.
Walton, Charles. "Clubs, Parties, Factions." In The Oxford Handbook of the French Revolution, edited by David Andress. (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2015),
Zizek, Joseph. 2016. “Revolutionary Gifts: Sacrifice and the Challenge of Community during the French Revolution.” Journal of Modern History 88 (2)
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