Question

The revolutionary government took it upon themselves to pass laws that would translate the ideals of liberty and equality into everyday practice.” Discuss this statement with special emphasis on the abolition of censorship. plz this is of 5 marks. please explain in detail

this ques is from french revolution

Answer 1

Answer:

Following are the ways in which the revolutionary government took it upon themselves to pass laws that would translate the ideals of liberty and equality into everyday practice:

1. It was finally the convention which in 1794 legislated to free all the slaves in the French overseas possessions. Slavery was finally abolished in French colonies in 1848.

2. The Declaration of the ‘Rights of Man’ and Citizen proclaimed freedom of speech and expression to be natural rights.

3. Events and changes taking place in France were frankly discussed.

4. Censorship was abolished.

5. Plays, songs and festive processions attracted large number of people. Thus, people could identify with ideas of liberty and equality easily.

Answer 2

One important law that came into effect soon after the storming of the Bastille in the summer of 1789 was the abolition of censorship. Earlier all written material and cultural activities — books, newspapers, plays — could be published or performed only after they had been approved by the censors of the king. Now the Declaration of the Rights of Man and Citizen declared freedom of speech and expression to be a natural right. They all described and discussed the events and changes taking place in France. Freedom of the press also meant that opposing views of events could be expressed. Each side sought to convince the others of its position through the medium of print. Plays, songs and festive processions attracted large numbers of people.

This was one way they could grasp and identify with ideas such as liberty or justice that political philosophers wrote about at length in texts. Newspapers, pamphlets, books and printed pictures flooded the towns of France from where they travelled rapidly into the countryside.