The French Revolution was an effort by France to make France a republican form government. It was based upon Enlightenment concepts like legal equality and natural rights. It tried to accomplish this ambitious goal by disregarding the promise of liberty and eliminating all opposition. This was to argue that radical and authoritative actions were necessary in order to form a perfect country. It is a hallmark of many totalitarian governments around the globe since the French revolution. These include Stalin’s Soviet Union, Nazi Germany and Stalin’s Soviet Union. To realize their ideal society vision, these regime leaders employed many of the same radical methods used by French revolutionaries to suppress dissent.
Rousseau’s philosophy was the inspiration behind the French revolution. Rousseau believed citizens had to ignore their individual wants and needs in order to attain the general purpose of life. Furthermore, all forms and types of dissent should be eradicated. This philosophy was at its peak during the Terror. Robespierre took power to implement the Terror. The Terror caused citizens to “politicize every aspect of their lives” as they were required to follow the general will. To ensure citizens’ loyalty to the state, opposition to the revolutionary government was treated as perversion and crime, and therefore could lead to death. In short, this resulted in the death penalty for thousands of citizens. Similar to this, people who opposed the state or condemned it were treated as enemies in Stalin’s Soviet Union, Nazi Germany and other countries. They were often sent to concentration camp instead of being executed. Inflicting harsh punishment for differences of opinions was a common practice in France, Russia, Germany, and Germany. This fear led to widespread fear and made it virtually impossible to overthrow each totalitarian regime. Modern totalitarian leaders used fear to end dissent in a manner similar to Maximilien Ropespierre’s French revolution leaders. Indoctrination of citizens through propaganda was an additional method by modern totalitarian regimes to suppress dissent. Propaganda wasn’t as common in France after the revolution as in modern totalitarian regimes, but it was there. Jacobins were the most radical political group in France after the French Revolution. They played a crucial role in instituting Terror. Similar patterns can be seen in the history of totalitarian governments like Nazi Germany. Hitler’s Third Reich used education as a means of indoctrinating youth in Nazi ideology. School courses were designed to instill anti-Semitism among children by promoting racial theory and educating them about the Aryan race’s superiority. Stalin’s USSR propaganda also was used to condemn governments that were “degradations” of true politics. Although propaganda used during the French revolution wasn’t as effective as in modern totalitarian regimes, it was still useful and had the same effect of eliminating dissent.
The French Revolution was inspired by progressive ideals like equality before the law and liberty. However, governments led it and led to governments (such the First Consul of Napoleon Bonaparte), that were contrary to these ideals. The radical Jacobins took control of the National Convention in 1793 from the moderate Girondins, using the state-of-emergency France as a justification for their power grab. To create a rational society, the new government made radical changes like the creation of a new calendar or the elimination of Christianity. The Jacobins’ violent transfer of power and the changes they made were not democratic and are typical of totalitarian governments like Nazi Germany. Hitler was elected Chancellor of Germany, but he did not achieve the democratic goals he originally set out to. He was able to consolidate the powers of both the president and chancellor into one position, and also passed the Enabling Act through Reichstag. He became dictator and banned opposition parties, suspended civil liberties, and committed genocide on Jews, homosexuals, as well as other people he thought to be less than the Aryan race. As with Nazi Germany and French governments during the Revolution Stalin’s Soviet Union was ruled by one party. They were subject to atrocious, undemocratic legislation which resulted in the deaths of millions. The French Revolution, unlike other totalitarian governments today, was based on democratic and Enlightenment principles like equality and liberty. However, revolutionaries felt it was necessary to use all means to attain their goal of creating an ideal state that upholds these principles. In the same way, modern totalitarian governments use terror, propaganda, rule by one party, and other brutal methods to achieve their vision of a perfect society.
The striking similarities that exist between the French Revolution, modern totalitarian government and their respective ancestors are not sufficient to prove that they were created by it. The only reason totalitarian governments took the violent actions they did is because the ends justifies their means. This was the driving force behind France’s brutal Revolution and it is why totalitarianism today has its roots.
