Fair Shares for All : Jacobin Egalitarianism in Practice (Past and Present Publications)

Rating:
Summary: A fascinating contribution to revolutionary historiography.
Review: For the past three decades the history of the French Revolution has been dominated by revisionism. Often strongly critical of the revolution, much revisionism insistently invokes the terror of the Year II. Yet surprisingly little revisionism is about the Jacobin Republic. It is the surpreme value of Jean Gross' book that it provides a detailed discussion of the difficulties and achievements of the the years 1793-94. One is struck by its plentiful archival research, in marked contrast to much recent revisionist work. Much of our image of the Terror concentrates on the grand terror in Paris, and such horrors as the destruction of Lyon, the bloody surpression of the Vendee and the mass drownings at Nantes. Yet this crimes cannot be considered the core of Jacobinism, or even typical. Gross concentrates on the hard working deputies such as Romme, Paganol, Saint-Andre. In contrast to the vague view that the Jacobins were proto-Stalinist fanatics, Gross reminds us of their place in the geneology of liberal democracy. By looking at such matters at rehabilitation, land reform, progressive taxation, food rationing, a burgeoning welfare state and plans for compulsory education, Gross shows how Jacobins tried to make a difference. Although confounded by the traumas of war, the everpresent fiscal crisis, and the Thermidorean reaction, Gross does reveal some genuine improvement. More important Gross makes clear that the Jacobins were not fanatical egalitarians, but believers in fairness. Contrary to conservative cant, Jacobins believed not in equality of outcome, but in equality in opportunity. But they were well aware you cannot have the second if society is wealth is radically maldistributed and hierarchial. This is an important book all those with an interest in the French revolution should read.

Rating:
Summary: A fascinating contribution to revolutionary historiography.
Review: For the past three decades the history of the French Revolution has been dominated by revisionism. Often strongly critical of the revolution, much revisionism insistently invokes the terror of the Year II. Yet surprisingly little revisionism is about the Jacobin Republic. It is the surpreme value of Jean Gross' book that it provides a detailed discussion of the difficulties and achievements of the the years 1793-94. One is struck by its plentiful archival research, in marked contrast to much recent revisionist work. Much of our image of the Terror concentrates on the grand terror in Paris, and such horrors as the destruction of Lyon, the bloody surpression of the Vendee and the mass drownings at Nantes. Yet this crimes cannot be considered the core of Jacobinism, or even typical. Gross concentrates on the hard working deputies such as Romme, Paganol, Saint-Andre. In contrast to the vague view that the Jacobins were proto-Stalinist fanatics, Gross reminds us of their place in the geneology of liberal democracy. By looking at such matters at rehabilitation, land reform, progressive taxation, food rationing, a burgeoning welfare state and plans for compulsory education, Gross shows how Jacobins tried to make a difference. Although confounded by the traumas of war, the everpresent fiscal crisis, and the Thermidorean reaction, Gross does reveal some genuine improvement. More important Gross makes clear that the Jacobins were not fanatical egalitarians, but believers in fairness. Contrary to conservative cant, Jacobins believed not in equality of outcome, but in equality in opportunity. But they were well aware you cannot have the second if society is wealth is radically maldistributed and hierarchial. This is an important book all those with an interest in the French revolution should read.

Rating:
Summary: Mudane Marxist Revisionism
Review: The French Revolution was good, right? This book glosses over the atrocities and the reign of terror to praise the accomplishments of the Jacobins... It makes them out to be less than radical egalitarians, because it conveniently ignores the Jacobin ideology at its extreme.

I instead recommend Fire in the Minds of Men: Origins of the Revolutionary Faith.