In Pursuit of Utopia #5: “Committee of Public Safety”
A lot of what you’re about to hear will sound oddly familiar…
The French Revolutionaries began by addressing genuine grievances and demanding liberation from oppressive structures. They declared equal rights for all men, and even addressed women’s rights more than any other political movement had. Slavery was outlawed.
But… once the new regime took power and killed the king, the people’s rights were suspended in the name of national security. Neighbors ratted on neighbors, and blood filled the streets.
Thousands and thousands suspected of being traitors to the revolution were beheaded. The chaos that ensued eventually “settled” into the aggressive empire of Napoleon (who rolled back some of the original revolutionary reforms, such as the abolition of slavery).
The starving and oppressed masses were promised an egalitarian society; they got generations of violent authoritarianism.
Why did the revolution backfire in this way?
What are the masses to do in the face of oppression?
About Your Instructor:
Danny McCarthy is a SSP listener, blogger and researcher, and the author of an upcoming book on the historical pursuit of utopia.
About This Series: In the 21st century, we’re living in a mosaic of fractured and failed Utopian visions from the past; socialism, social justice, liberation movements, archaic revival, radical environmentalism, and even the “information” revolution are a just a few notable examples. Whether we trace the concept of utopia back to Thomas More 500 years ago or even all the way back to Plato, the ideal world has been pursued from the top down, frequently resulting in varying degrees of dystopia for people…not at the top.
