Please enable JavaScript.
Coggle requires JavaScript to display documents.
FROM THE DIRECTORY TO BRUMAIRE (The 1795 Constitution (The Council of…
FROM THE DIRECTORY TO BRUMAIRE
The 1795 Constitution
The Council of Ancients and Council of the 500
To create balance, two chambers of legislature were formed.The Council of the 500, made up of men over 30, created new laws
The Council of Ancients, made up of 250 over 40 year olds, approved bill proposed by the Council of the 500
Elections for the Councils were held every year, with one third requiring to be replaced each year.Fearing a royalist resurgence, it was ruled that in the first elections two-thirds of the Councils must have served in the NC
The Directory
Established 2nd November 1795, it was made up of 5 men chosen from a list of men from the Council of the 500 by the Council of Ancients
Each member served for 5 years, with one being replaced each year.They controlled law enforcement and the military, but no input on finance or legislation, lacking any veto
Weaknesses of the Constitution
It lacked direction and leadership due to the constant elections and changes.Directors were supposed to enforce laws they didn’t pass, organise the army without controlling finance, and maintain foreign policy, but not declare war or peace
When the Council of the 500 rejected a bill, there was no chance to amend it.People weren’t happy with the rule of two-thirds, namely royalists
Economic and Financial Reforms
Currency Reform
With high inflation, the assingnats were replaced with mandates in February 1796, but by valuing the mandates against the assingats, their value fell as well, resulting in the removal of all paper currency in February 1797
But there wasn’t enough metal currency, resulting in a return to a natural economy, even the directors were paid in grain
State Debt
In September 1797, the Directory declared itself bankrupt, issuing state bonds to creditors used to buy biens nationaux, reducing spending by 160 million livres
The Council of Ancients declared the act immoral, as the falling value of state bonds essentially meant they had robbed the creditors of the money they were owed
Taxation
Indirect taxes were reintroduced, including a charge on luxuries e.g. chimneys, servants, and carriages.A poll tax was imposed on all, regardless of wealth
The Council of the Ancients refused a new salt tax the Directory pushed.Direct taxes were not enough, the state became depended on army plundering
With indirect taxes being abolished in the revolution, and poor records to use for the land tax, there was a large deficit
Martial Law
With growing bread riots and government resentment, the army was used more.Soldiers sent to villages that didn’t pay tax or meet the army levy
A law in June 1795 allowed military courts to try rebels, these were then made permanent in 1797 due to necessity, indicate a move to military rule
The Directory preferred using the army, as they chose the officers, knowing they would be loyal, rather than the National Guard