বিপ্লবে শহুরে ও গ্রাম্য দরিদ্র জনতার অংশগ্রহণ
The active participation of the urban and rural poor was essential in transforming the French Revolution into a widespread and powerful movement. Initially, the revolt began primarily in the cities, with the urban poor playing a significant role in the early stages. However, as the revolution progressed, the rural lower classes also joined the cause, which further fueled the intensity of the movement.
In the early phases of the revolution, it was mainly the urban poor—including workers, artisans, shopkeepers, and unemployed individuals—who took to the streets demanding change. The city workers, deeply affected by the rising prices of bread and other essential goods, became the main driving force of the rebellion. The storming of the Bastille in 1789 is one of the most iconic moments of the revolution, where the urban poor were the primary participants.
However, as the revolution spread, rural areas also saw an increasing involvement of the lower classes. Peasants, who had long suffered under feudal obligations and high taxes, began to revolt against the nobility and church authorities. The Great Fear of 1789, a period of panic and rebellion in rural France, saw peasants burning châteaux and destroying documents that bound them to feudal servitude. This marked the spread of the revolution from the cities to the countryside.
The involvement of the poor in both urban and rural areas significantly shaped the course of the French Revolution. Their struggles and hardships were the driving forces behind the call for equality, liberty, and fraternity. Without the participation of these masses, the French Revolution would not have gained the momentum it did, and the monarchy and ancien régime might have survived longer.
Thus, the urban and rural poor were not just passive victims of the revolution’s changes but were its most active supporters and driving force. Their participation played a crucial role in bringing about social change and the eventual establishment of the French Republic.
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