The study of human history reveals that man is greatly influenced by revolutions. Although the revolutions witnessed in the past had some effects on nations but there are some that changed the philosophies of this world completely. Among these the widely discussed are American and French revolutions. Although both the revolutions occurred in the same century and both rose against the established monarchies of that particular time, yet there were differences regarding their ideologies, type of regimes and their ultimate aftermaths.
Both American and French revolution occurred in the same century. The American revolution started in 1763 and ended in 1775. In American revolution, French people helped the Americans both economically and militarily. When the French returned from America after the American revolution, they felt same situation of injustice and unfairness among the people as it was in America, which became the most prominent reason for the occurrence of French revolution. French revolution started in 1789 and ended in 1799. There was the difference of only fourteen years between the ending of American revolution and the beginning of French revolution. Actually the occurrence of French revolution was primarily influenced by the American revolution.
The rebellious nature of human beings is natural and obvious when they are oppressed and subjected to brutality. The American and French revolutions were the result of the said nature of human beings. French revolution occurred because the local aristocrats and monarchs were very biased with the lower class. The lower class was not getting its rights. Similarly, in American revolution, the citizens were fed up of their ruling monarchs because of the biased attitude of monarchs towards them.
On the contrary, both these revolutions were based on different ideologies. The French Revolution occurred because the people of France were tired of their miserable life which was due to the variation of rights by monarchs with them. The poor people of France were demanding the following three words agenda “Liberty, Equality, Fraternity”, and later on these three words became the slogan of the revolutionists of France. Although the slogan of people of France comprised of three words “Liberty, Equality, Fraternity” yet they mainly focused in the term “Equality”(French Revolution, an over view). As there lived three different classes of people i-e monarchs, aristocrats (middle class) and common people, this was their slogan that every class should enjoy same rights and enlightenments and should share all types of burdens. Montesquieu, the most important political philosopher of the French Revolution, in his masterpiece “L'Esprit des lois” first published in 1753 claimed that a liberal constitutional monarchy was the best system of government for a people who prized freedom, on the grounds that by dividing the sovereignty of the nation between several centres of power, it provided a permanent check on any one of them becoming despotic (Cranston).
Similarly Locus stated:
In the eighteenth century, the French bourgeoisie had become aware of the increasing disparity between its wealth and social usefulness, on the one hand, and its social prestige and opportunities on the other. It way was blocked and recognition of its worth was denied by a decaying class of parasitic, hereditary privileged, noble landowners. Its vitality was further jeopardized by a monarchy not only committed to antiquated aristocratic values, but also incapable of giving the country that firm yet benignly restrained direction under which the initiative of men of business might flourish(“A Comparison of the French Revolution and American”).
Unlike French revolution, American revolution was most likely as the war of independence. The Americans wanted to get rid of the operation of British Colonial System. Unlike French revolution as it was within the country against their rulers, American revolution was against those rulers which were not inhabitant and were governing them from miles away from America. They wanted to make their own rules and regulations to live their own lives. They wanted their own government and policies to run their country. Thus there was the difference between the ideologies between people of France and people of America, because of France were fighting for their rights while the Americans were fighting for independence.
Both these revolutions also differed from each other in the regime type. In French revolution, there was monarch system which was governing the country. The king held the absolute power, and he was controlling the whole system. No local person was the part of the government. On the other hand, American revolution started because of the unrest that was found among the masses due to the British colonization. The British Colonial System was controlling the whole America. There was almost no share of the local inhabitants in the government. The British Colonial System was a foreign system, so they were treating the Americans very harshly. In this system, the whole government was controlled by British governor, who was elected by the Queen of England and in turn he was bound to follow the orders of Queen. The unjust behavior of the British governor with the American masses caused the American revolution against the British rule.
Although both American and French revolution occurred on the basis of their own distinctive ideologies, yet only American revolution achieved its respective goals. After the American revolution, the Americans fought war of independence. The Americans were now self-determining. American revolution gave birth to the democracy. They made their own laws and rules to govern their country. They made their own constitution and made their own government. Unlike the consequences of American revolution, the outcomes of French revolution were quite different. Although the French were able to abolish the system of feudalism yet they were still unable to get rid of the monarchy system. After the French revolution, France was again governed by the aristocrats and then by a dictator. So the people of France were unable to achieve their ultimate goal of liberty from monarchy system.
The American and French revolution had a huge impact on the pages of history. These are the revolutions without which our society would never have achieved the milestones which we have achieved today. A thorough and systematic study shows that American and French revolutions have some aspects in common like they occurred in the time spam of fifty years and raised against the monarchies system but they differed in ideologies, types of regimes and their aftermaths.
Written By: Haris Khan
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