No "Terror" in French Revolution

Derek Jackson

Could the period of Terror in the 1790s have been prevented? In OTL as well as the damage to France the terror made more repression possible in Britain.

Could a Representative government have survived without these events
 

Kuralyov

I was just thinking about this last night.

I can't pin down any specific POD, but if the Convention is able to stand its own against the Commune, then it could maintain order. Perhaps if the societies/clubs don't form; or if the King doesn't attempt to escape or give plans to the Germans, there won't be as much anger against them.

A shorter Terror may be more realistic. Intially, both the Girondists and the Jacobins supported the Terror, but after a few months the Girondists believed that it was time to end, as the major traitors had all bene dealt with.

With no Terror, the Revolution will be viewed betetr in other nations, especially America where it led to widespread repression even worse than the 1950s.
 

Abdul Hadi Pasha

Banned
Kuralyov said:
I was just thinking about this last night.

I can't pin down any specific POD, but if the Convention is able to stand its own against the Commune, then it could maintain order. Perhaps if the societies/clubs don't form; or if the King doesn't attempt to escape or give plans to the Germans, there won't be as much anger against them.

A shorter Terror may be more realistic. Intially, both the Girondists and the Jacobins supported the Terror, but after a few months the Girondists believed that it was time to end, as the major traitors had all bene dealt with.

With no Terror, the Revolution will be viewed betetr in other nations, especially America where it led to widespread repression even worse than the 1950s.
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I think the key event is the execution of the King. Once this was done, all bets were off. If Louis hadn't tried to escape, he would have been kept around to legitimize the government which would have given it greater stability and continuity. If he played his cards right (not possible with his tiny little brain), he could have even become politically significant again.
 

Kuralyov

Not necessarily. They could have still created the Republic, but not executed him. As I recall, in his trial, the vote on whether or not to execute him was extremely close; many of the delegates thought that the humiliation of losing his throne and being an ordinary citizen would be suitable punishment.
 

Abdul Hadi Pasha

Banned
Kuralyov said:
Not necessarily. They could have still created the Republic, but not executed him. As I recall, in his trial, the vote on whether or not to execute him was extremely close; many of the delegates thought that the humiliation of losing his throne and being an ordinary citizen would be suitable punishment.
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That would likely have resulted in a Restoration at some point. But in any case, Regicide is a pretty serious thing; it crosses a lot of lines and can lead to some pretty awful things.
 

fhaessig

Kuralyov said:
Not necessarily. They could have still created the Republic, but not executed him. As I recall, in his trial, the vote on whether or not to execute him was extremely close.
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IIRC, several votes were necessary for this process.

One vote was decided by ONE voice. Among those voting for death at that point was Phillippe Egalité, Late Duke of Orléans, Louis' cousin, whose son would later be crowned king of the french. Familly.
 
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