Influence of the French Revolution - wikipedia Influence of the French Revolution The French Revolution had a major impact on Europe and the New World. Historians widely regard the Revolution as one of the most important events in human history. In the short - term, France lost thousands of her countrymen in the form of émigrés, or emigrants who wished to escape political tensions and save their lives. A number of individuals settled in the neighboring countries ( chiefly Great Britain, Germany, Austria, and Prussia ), however quite a few also went to the United States. The displacement of these Frenchmen led to a spread of French culture, policies regulating immigration, and a safe haven for Royalists and other counterrevolutionaries to outlast the violence of the French Revolution. The long - term impact on France was profound, shaping politics, society, religion and ideas, and polarizing politics for more than a century. The closer other countries were, the greater and deeper was the French impact, bringing liberalism and the end of many feudal or traditional laws and practices. However, there was also a conservative counter-reaction that defeated Napoleon, reinstalled the Bourbon kings, and in some ways reversed the new reforms. Most of the new nations created by the French were abolished and returned to prewar owners in 1814. However, Frederick Artz emphasizes the benefits the Italians gained from the French Revolution : For nearly two decades the Italians had the excellent codes of law, a fair system of taxation, a better economic situation, and more religious and intellectual toleration than they had known for centuries... Everywhere old physical, economic, and intellectual barriers had been thrown down and the Italians had begun to be aware of a common nationality. Likewise in Switzerland the long - term impact of the French Revolution has been assessed by Martin : It proclaimed the equality of citizens before the law, equality of languages, freedom of thought and faith ; it created a Swiss citizenship, basis of our modern nationality, and the separation of powers, of which the old regime had no conception ; it suppressed internal tariffs and other economic restraints ; it unified weights and measures, reformed civil and penal law, authorized mixed marriages ( between Catholics and Protestants ), suppressed torture and improved justice ; it developed education and public works. The greatest impact came of course in France itself. In addition to effects similar to those in Italy and Switzerland, France saw the introduction of the principle of legal equality, and the downgrading of the once powerful and rich Catholic Church to just a bureau controlled by the government. Power became centralized in Paris, with its strong bureaucracy and an army supplied by conscripting all young men. French politics were permanently polarized -- new names were given, ' left ' and ' right ' for the supporters and opponents of the principles of the Revolution. Contents 1 Impact on France 2 Impact on Europe 2.1 French emigration 2.2 French conquests 2.3 Nationalism 2.4 Britain 2.5 Ireland 2.6 Germany 2.7 Switzerland 2.8 Belgium 2.9 Netherlands 2.10 Denmark and Sweden 3 World impact 3.1 United States 3.2 Haiti and Latin America 3.3 Middle East 4 See also 5 Notes 6 Further reading Impact on France Main article : French Revolution § France The changes in France were enormous ; some were widely accepted and others were bitterly contested into the late 20th century. Before the Revolution, the people had little power or voice. The kings had so thoroughly centralized the system that most nobles spent their time at Versailles, and played only a small direct role in their home districts. Thompson says that the kings had : ruled by virtue of their personal wealth, their patronage of the nobility, their disposal of ecclesiastical offices, their provincial governors ( intendants ), their control over the judges and magistrates, and their command of the Army. After the first year of revolution, this power had been stripped away. The king was a figurehead, the nobility had lost all their titles and most of their land, the Church lost its monasteries and farmlands, bishops, judges and magistrates were elected by the people, the army was almost helpless, with military power in the hands of the new revolutionary National Guard. The central elements of 1789 were the slogan `` Liberté, égalité, fraternité '' and `` The Declaration of the Rights of Man and the Citizen '', which Lefebvre calls `` the incarnation of the Revolution as a whole. '' The long - term impact on France was profound, shaping politics, society, religion and ideas, and polarizing politics for more than a century. Historian François Aulard writes : From the social point of view, the Revolution consisted in the suppression of what was called the feudal system, in the emancipation of the individual, in greater division of landed property, the abolition of the privileges of noble birth, the establishment of equality, the simplification of life... The French Revolution differed from other revolutions in being not merely national, for it aimed at benefiting all humanity. '' Impact on Europe This section needs additional citations for verification. Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. ( December 2015 ) Europe was wracked by two decades of war revolving around France 's efforts to spread its revolutionary ideals, and the opposition of reactionary royalty, led by Britain and Austria. War broke out in 1792 as Austria and Prussia invaded France, but were defeated at the Battle of Valmy ( 1792 ). French emigration Main article : French emigration ( 1789 -- 1815 ) To escape political tensions and save their lives, a number of individuals, mostly men, emigrated from France. Many settled in neighboring countries ( chiefly Great Britain, Germany, Austria, and Prussia ), and quite a few went to the United States. The presence of these thousands of Frenchmen of varying socioeconomic backgrounds who had just fled a hotbed of revolutionary activity posed a problem for the nations that extended refuge to the migrants. The fear was that they brought with them a plot to disrupt the political order, which did lead to increased regulation and documentation of the influx of immigrants in neighboring countries. Still, most nations such as Britain remained magnanimous and welcomed the French. French conquests In foreign affairs, the French Army at first was quite successful. It conquered Belgium and turned it into another province of France. It conquered the Netherlands, and made it a puppet state. It took control of the German areas on the left bank of the Rhine River and set up a puppet regime. It conquered Switzerland and most of Italy, setting up a series of puppet states. The result was glory for France, and an infusion of much needed money from the conquered lands, which also provided direct support to the French Army. However the enemies of France, led by Britain and funded by the inexhaustible British Treasury, formed a Second Coalition in 1799 ( with Britain joined by Russia, the Ottoman Empire, and Austria ). It scored a series of victories that rolled back French successes, and The French Army trapped in Egypt. Napoleon himself slipped through the British blockade in October 1799, returning to Paris. Napoleon conquered most of Italy in the name of the French Revolution in 1797 -- 99. He consolidated old units and split up Austria 's holdings. He set up a series of new republics, complete with new codes of law and abolition of old feudal privileges. Napoleon 's Cisalpine Republic was centered on Milan. Genoa the city became a republic while its hinterland became the Ligurian Republic. The Roman Republic was formed out of the papal holdings while the pope himself was sent to France. The Neapolitan Republic was formed around Naples, but it lasted only five months before the enemy forces of the Coalition recaptured it. In 1805 he formed the Kingdom of Italy, with himself as king and his stepson as viceroy. In addition, France turned the Netherlands into the Batavian Republic, and Switzerland into the Helvetic Republic. All these new countries where satellites of France, and had to pay large subsidies to Paris, as well as provide military support for Napoleon 's wars. Their political and administrative systems were modernized, the metric system introduced, and trade barriers reduced. Jewish ghettos were abolished. Belgium and Piedmont became integral parts of France. The new nations were abolished and returned to prewar owners in 1814. However, Artz emphasizes the benefits the Italians gained from the French Revolution : For nearly two decades the Italians had the excellent codes of law, a fair system of taxation, a better economic situation, and more religious and intellectual toleration than they had known for centuries... Everywhere old physical, economic, and intellectual barriers had been thrown down and the Italians had begun to be aware of a common nationality. Nationalism Otto Dann and John Dinwiddy report, `` It has long been almost a truism of European history that the French Revolution gave a great stimulus to the growth of modern nationalism. '' Nationalism was emphasized by historian Carlton J.H. Hayes as a major result of the French Revolution across Europe. The impact on French nationalism was profound. Napoleon became such a heroic symbol of the nation that the glory was easily picked up by his nephew, who was overwhelmingly elected president ( and later became Emperor Napoleon III ). The influence was great in the hundreds of small German states and elsewhere, where it was either inspired by the French example or in reaction against it. Britain At the beginning of the Revolution, Britain supported the constitutional monarchy, up until they de-instated the king Louis XVI. Britain saw minority support for the French Revolution, but the majority, especially the elite, were strongly opposed. Britain led and funded the series of coalitions that fought France from 1793 to 1815, and then restored the Bourbons. Edmund Burke was the chief spokesman for the opposition. Ireland In Ireland, the effect was to transform what had been an attempt by Protestant settlers to gain some autonomy into a mass movement led by the Society of United Irishmen involving Catholics and Protestants. It stimulated the demand for further reform throughout Ireland, especially in Ulster. The upshot was a revolt in 1798, led by Wolfe Tone, that was crushed by Britain. This revolt is seen as the foundation for modern Irish republicanism, which eventually led to the partition of Ireland and independence for 26 of its 32 counties. Germany This section needs additional citations for verification. Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. ( December 2015 ) Main article : History of Germany § French Revolution 1789 -- 1815 German reaction to the Revolution swung from favorable at first to antagonistic. At first it brought liberal and democratic ideas, the end of guilds, of serfdom and of the Jewish ghetto. It brought economic freedoms and agrarian and legal reform. German intellectuals celebrated the outbreak, hoping to see the triumph of Reason and The Enlightenment. There were enemies as well, as the royal courts in Vienna and Berlin denounced the overthrow of the king and the threatened spread of notions of liberty, equality, and fraternity. By 1793, the execution of the French king and the onset of the Terror disillusioned the `` Bildungsbürgertum '' ( educated middle classes ). Reformers said the solution was to have faith in the ability of Germans to reform their laws and institutions in peaceful fashion. The Confederation of the Rhine, composed of client states under Napoleon 's control, 1806 to 1813 ; most German states belonged except Prussia ( in the northeast ) and Austria ( in the southeast ). The map text is in German After Prussia was humiliated by Napoleon opinion swung against France and stimulated and shaped German nationalism. France took direct control of the Rhineland 1794 -- 1814 and radically and permanently liberalized the government, society and economy. The French swept away centuries worth of outmoded restrictions and introduced unprecedented levels of efficiency. The chaos and barriers in a land divided and subdivided among many different petty principalities gave way to a rational, simplified, centralized system controlled by Paris and run by Napoleon 's relatives. The most important impact came from the abolition of all feudal privileges and historic taxes, the introduction of legal reforms of the Napoleonic Code, and the reorganization of the judicial and local administrative systems. The economic integration of the Rhineland with France increased prosperity, especially in industrial production, while business accelerated with the new efficiency and lowered trade barriers. The Jews were liberated from the ghetto. One sour point was the hostility of the French officials toward the Roman Catholic Church, the choice of most of the residents. Much of South Germany felt a similar but more muted influence of the French Revolution, while in Prussia and areas to the east there was far less impact. The reforms were permanent. Decades later workers and peasants in the Rhineland often appealed to Jacobinism to oppose unpopular government programs, while the intelligentsia demanded the maintenance of the Napoleonic Code ( which was stayed in effect for a century ). Switzerland Main article : Helvetic Republic The French invaded Switzerland and turned it into an ally known as the `` Helvetic Republic '' ( 1798 -- 1803 ). The interference with localism and traditional liberties was deeply resented, although some modernizing reforms took place. Resistance was strongest in the more traditional Catholic bastions, with armed uprisings breaking out in spring 1798 in the central part of Switzerland. Alois Von Reding, a powerful Swiss general, led an army of 10,000 men from the Cantons of Uri, Schwyz and Nidwalden against the French. This resulted in the Swiss regaining control of Lucerne, however due to the sheer greatness in size of the French army, Von Reding 's movement was eventually suppressed. The French Army suppressed the uprisings but support for revolutionary ideals steadily declined, as the Swiss resented their loss of local democracy, the new taxes, the centralization, and the hostility to religion. The instability of France resulted in the creation of two different revolutionary groups with different ideologies of revolt : The aristocrats, seeking the restoration of the Old Swiss Confederacy and a section of the population wanting a coup. Furthermore, Switzerland became a battleground between the armies of France, Austria and Russia. Ultimately, this instability, frequent coups within the government and the eventual Bourla - papey forced Napoleon to sign the Act of Medallion which led to the fall of the Helvetic Republic and the restoration of the Confederacy. The long - term impact of the French Revolution has been assessed by Martin : It proclaimed the equality of citizens before the law, equality of languages, freedom of thought and faith ; it created a Swiss citizenship, basis of our modern nationality, and the separation of powers, of which the old regime had no conception ; it suppressed internal tariffs and other economic restraints ; it unified weights and measures, reformed civil and penal law, authorized mixed marriages ( between Catholics and Protestants ), suppressed torture and improved justice ; it developed education and public works. Belgium Main article : Belgium in the long nineteenth century § French rule French invaded the territory of modern - day Belgium and controlled it between 1794 -- 1814. The French imposed reforms and incorporated the territory into France. New rulers were sent in by Paris. Belgian men were drafted into the French wars and heavily taxed. Nearly everyone was Catholic, but the Church was repressed. Resistance was strong in every sector, as Belgian nationalism emerged to oppose French rule. The French legal system, however, was adopted, with its equal legal rights, and abolition of class distinctions. Belgium now had a government bureaucracy selected by merit. Antwerp regained access to the sea and grew quickly as a major port and business center. France promoted commerce and capitalism, paving the way for the ascent of the bourgeoisie and the rapid growth of manufacturing and mining. In economics, therefore, the nobility declined while the middle class Belgian entrepreneurs flourished because of their inclusion in a large market, paving the way for Belgium 's leadership role after 1815 in the Industrial Revolution on the Continent. Netherlands Main article : Batavian Republic France turned the Netherlands into a puppet state that had to pay large indemnities. Denmark and Sweden Main article : History of Denmark § Reforms The Kingdom of Denmark adopted liberalizing reforms in line with those of the French Revolution, with no direct contact. Danes were aware of French ideas and agreed with them, as it moved from Danish absolutism to a liberal constitutional system between 1750 -- 1850. The change of government in 1784 was caused by a power vacuum created when King Christian VII took ill, and power shifted to the crown prince ( who later became King Frederik VI ) and reform - oriented landowners. In contrast to Old Regime France, agricultural reform was intensified in Denmark, serfdom was abolished and civil rights were extended to the peasants, the finances of the Danish state were healthy, and there were no external or internal crises. That is, reform was gradual and the regime itself carried out agrarian reforms that had the effect of weakening absolutism by creating a class of independent peasant freeholders. Much of the initiative came from well - organized liberals who directed political change in the first half of the 19th century. In Sweden, King Gustav III ( reigned 1771 -- 92 ) was an enlightened despot, who weakened the nobility and promoted numerous major social reforms. He felt the Swedish monarchy could survive and flourish by achieving a coalition with the newly emerged middle classes against the nobility. He was close to King Louis XVI so he was disgusted with French radicalism. Nevertheless, he decided to promote additional antifeudal reforms to strengthen his hand among the middle classes. When the king was assassinated in 1792 his brother Charles became regent, but real power was with Gustaf Adolf Reuterholm, who bitterly opposed the French Revolution and all its supporters. Under King Gustav IV Adolf, Sweden joined various coalitions against Napoleon, but was badly defeated and lost much of its territory, especially Finland and Pomerania. The king was overthrown by the army, which in 1810 decided to bring in one of Napoleon 's marshals, Bernadotte, as the heir apparent and army commander. He had a Jacobin background and was well - grounded in revolutionary principles, but put Sweden in the coalition that opposed Napoleon. Bernadotte served as a quite conservative king Charles XIV John of Sweden ( 1818 -- 44 ). World impact United States The French Revolution won widespread American support in its early phase, but when the king was executed it polarized American opinion and played a major role in shaping American politics. President George Washington declared neutrality in the European wars, but the polarization shaped the First Party System. In 1793, the first `` Democratic societies '' were formed. They supported the French Revolution in the wake of the execution of the king. The word `` democrat '' was proposed by French Ambassador Citizen Genet for the societies, which he was secretly subsidizing. The emerging Federalists led by Alexander Hamilton began to ridicule the supporters of Thomas Jefferson as `` democrats ''. Genet now began mobilizing American voters using French money, for which he was expelled by President Washington. After President Washington denounced the societies as unrepublican, they faded away. In 1793, as war broke out in Europe, the Jeffersonian Republican Party favored France and pointed to the 1778 treaty that was still in effect. Washington and his unanimous cabinet ( including Jefferson ) decided the treaty did not bind the U.S. to enter the war ; instead Washington proclaimed neutrality. Under President Adams, a Federalist, an undeclared naval war took place with France in 1798 -- 99, called the `` Quasi War ''. Jefferson became president in 1801, but was hostile to Napoleon as a dictator and emperor. Nevertheless, he did seize the opportunity to purchase Louisiana in 1803. The broad similarities but different experiences between the French and American revolutions lead to a certain kinship between France and the United States, with both countries seeing themselves as pioneers of liberty and promoting republican ideals. This bond manifesting itself in such exchanges as the gift of the Statue of Liberty by France. Haiti and Latin America The call for modification of society was influenced by the revolution in France, and once the hope for change found a place in the hearts of the Haitian people, there was no stopping the radical reformation that was occurring. The Enlightenment ideals and the initiation of the French Revolution were enough to inspire the Haitian Revolution, which evolved into the most successful and comprehensive slave rebellion. Just as the French were successful in transforming their society, so were the Haitians. On April 4, 1792, The French National Assembly granted freedom to slaves in Haiti and the revolution culminated in 1804 ; Haiti was an independent nation solely of freed peoples. The activities of the revolutions sparked change across the world. France 's transformation was most influential in Europe, and Haiti 's influence spanned across every location that continued to practice slavery. John E. Baur honors Haiti as home of the most influential Revolution in history. As early as 1810, the term `` liberal '' was coined in Spanish politics to indicate supporters of the French Revolution. This usage passed to Latin America and animated the independence movement against Spain. In the nineteenth century `` Liberalism '' was the dominant element in Latin American political thought. French liberal ideas were especially influential in Mexico, particularly as seen through the writings of Alexis de Tocqueville, Benjamin Constant and Édouard René de Laboulaye. The Latin American political culture oscillated between two opposite poles : the traditional, as based on highly specific personal and family ties to kin groups, communities, and religious identity ; and the modern, based on impersonal ideals of individualism, equality, legal rights, and secularism or anti-clericalism. The French Revolutionary model was the basis for the modern viewpoint, as explicated in Mexico in the writings of José María Luis Mora ( 1794 -- 1850 ). In Mexico, modern liberalism was best expressed in the Liberal Party, the Constitution of 1857, the policies of Benito Juárez, and finally by Francisco I. Madero 's democratic movement leading to the Revolution of 1911. Middle East The impact of the French Revolution on the Middle East came in terms of the political and military impact of Napoleon 's invasion ; and in the eventual influence of revolutionary and liberal ideas and revolutionary movements or rebellions. In terms of Napoleon 's invasion in 1798, the response by Ottoman officials was highly negative. They warned that traditional religion would be overthrown. Long - standing Ottoman friendship with France ended. Sultan Selim III immediately realized how far behind his empire was, and started to modernize both his army and his governmental system. In Egypt itself, the ruling elite of Mamluks was permanently displaced, speeding the reforms. In intellectual terms, the immediate impact of the French Revolutionary ideas was nearly invisible, but there was a long - range influence on liberal ideas and the ideal of legal equality, as well as the notion of opposition to a tyrannical government. In this regard, the French Revolution brought such influential themes as constitutionalism, parliamentarianism, individual liberty, legal equality, and the sense of ethnic nationalism. These came to fruition about 1876. See also Edmund Burke # French Revolution : 1688 versus 1789 Liberalism # French revolution Romanticism and the French Revolution Papal States # French Revolution and Napoleonic era Notes Jump up ^ Linda S. Frey and Marsha L. Frey, The French Revolution ( 2004 ), Foreword. Jump up ^ R.R. Palmer and Joel Colton, A History of the Modern World ( 5th ed. 1978 ), p. 341 Jump up ^ Ferenc Fehér, The French Revolution and the Birth of Modernity, ( 1990 ) pp. 117 - 30 Jump up ^ Mike Rapport and Peter McPhee. `` The International Repercussions of the French Revolution '', in A Companion to the French Revolution ( 2013 ), pp 379 -- 96. Jump up ^ Klaits, Joseph ; Haltzel, Michael H. ; Haltzel, Michael ( 2002 ). Global Ramifications of the American Revolution. Cambridge UP. ^ Jump up to : Frederick B. Artz, Reaction & Revolution : 1814 -- 1832 ( Rise of Modern Europe ) ( 1934 ), pp. 142 -- 43 Jump up ^ William Martin, Histoire de la Suisse ( Paris, 1926 ), pp 187 -- 88, quoted in Crane Brinson, A Decade of Revolution : 1789 -- 1799 ( 1934 ), p. 235. Jump up ^ John Hall Stewart, A Documentary Survey of the french revolution ( 1951 ) pp 783 -- 94 Jump up ^ J.M. Thompson, Robespierre and the French Revolution ( 1962 ), p. 22 Jump up ^ Georges Lefebvre ( 2005 ) ( 1947 ). The Coming of the French Revolution. Princeton UP. p. 212. Jump up ^ A. Aulard in Arthur Tilley, ed. ( 1922 ). Modern France. A Companion to French Studies. Cambridge UP. p. 115. CS1 maint : Extra text : authors list ( link ) Jump up ^ William Doyle, The Oxford History of the French Revolution ( 1989 ), pp 341 -- 68 Jump up ^ Steven T. Ross, European Diplomatic History, 1789 -- 1815 : France Against Europe ( 1969 ) Jump up ^ Alexander Grab, Napoleon and the Transformation of Europe ( 2003 ) pp 62 -- 65, 78 -- 79, 88 -- 96, 115 -- 17, 154 -- 59 Jump up ^ Palmer, The Age of the Democratic Revolution 2 : 293 -- 326, 365 -- 94 Jump up ^ Dann, Otto ; Dinwiddy, John ( 1988 ). Nationalism in the Age of the French Revolution. Continuum. p. 13. Jump up ^ Beatrice Fry Hyslop, French Nationalism in 1789 ( 1968 ) especially chap. 7 Jump up ^ Carlton J.H. Hayes, The Historical Evolution of Modern Nationalism ( 1931 ), ch 2 -- 3 Jump up ^ Keitner, Chimene I. ( 2007 ). The Paradoxes of Nationalism : The French Revolution and Its Meaning for Contemporary Nation Building. SUNY Press. p. 12. Jump up ^ Emma Vincent Macleod, A War of Ideas : British Attitudes to the War against Revolutionary France, 1792 -- 1802 ( 1999 ) Jump up ^ Palmer, The Age of the Democratic Revolution : The Struggle, Volume II ( 1970 ), pp 459 -- 505. Jump up ^ Nick Pelling ( 2002 ). Anglo - Irish Relations : 1798 1922. Routledge. pp. 5 -- 10. Jump up ^ Palmer, The Age of the Democratic Revolution 2 : 491 -- 508. Jump up ^ James J. Sheehan, German History, 1770 -- 1866 ( 1993 ), pp. 207 -- 322. Jump up ^ Palmer, The Age of the Democratic Revolution 2 : 425 - 58 Jump up ^ Blanning Blanning, `` The French Revolution and the Modernization of Germany '', in Central European History ( 1989 ) 22 # 2, pp 109 -- 29. Jump up ^ Theodore S. Hamerow ( 1958 ). Restoration, Revolution, Reaction : Economics and Politics in Germany, 1815 -- 1871. Princeton UP. pp. 22 -- 24, 44 -- 45. Jump up ^ T.C.W. Blanning, The French Revolution in Germany : Occupation and Resistance in the Rhineland 1792 -- 1802 ( 1983 ) Jump up ^ Hajo Holborn, A History of Modern Germany, 1648 -- 1840 ( 1964 ), pp 386 -- 87. Jump up ^ Michael Rowe, From Reich to state : the Rhineland in the revolutionary age, 1780 -- 1830 ( 2003 ) Jump up ^ Lerner, Marc H. Lerner, `` The Helvetic Republic : An Ambivalent Reception of French Revolutionary Liberty '', French History ( 2004 ) 18 # 1, pp 50 -- 75. Jump up ^ R.R. Palmer, The Age of the Democratic Revolution 2 : 394 -- 421 Jump up ^ Otto Dann and John Dinwiddy ( 1988 ). Nationalism in the Age of the French Revolution. Continuum. pp. 190 -- 98. Jump up ^ William Martin, Histoire de la Suisse ( Paris, 1926 ), pp 187 -- 88, quoted in Crane Brinson, A Decade of Revolution : 1789 -- 1799 ( 1934 ), p. 235. Jump up ^ E.H. Kossmann, The Low Countries : 1780 -- 1940 ( 1978 ) pp 65 -- 81, 101 -- 02. Jump up ^ Bernard A. Cook, Belgium ( 2005 ) pp 49 -- 54 Jump up ^ Samuel Clark, `` Nobility, Bourgeoisie and the Industrial Revolution in Belgium, '' Past & Present ( 1984 ) # 105 pp. 140 -- 175 ; in JSTOR Jump up ^ Palmer, The Age of the Democratic Revolution 2 : 394 -- 421 Jump up ^ Henrik Horstboll, and Uffe Ostergård, `` Reform and Revolution : The French Revolution and the Case of Denmark, '' Scandinavian Journal of History ( 1990 ) 15 # 3 pp 155 -- 79 Jump up ^ H. Arnold Barton, Scandinavia in the Revolutionary Era, 1760 -- 1815 ( 1986 ) Jump up ^ Munro Price, `` Louis XVI and Gustavus III : Secret Diplomacy and Counter-Revolution, 1791 -- 1792, '' Historical Journal ( 1999 ) 42 # 2 pp. 435 -- 466 in JSTOR Jump up ^ Alan Palmer, Bernadotte : Napoleon 's Marshal, Sweden 's King ( 1991 ) Jump up ^ Charles Downer Hazen ( 1897 ). Contemporary American Opinion of the French Revolution. Johns Hopkins UP. Jump up ^ Genet would have been executed if he returned to Paris ; he stayed in New York, became an American citizen, and married the daughter of the governor of New York. Eugene R. Sheridan, `` The Recall of Edmond Charles Genet : A Study in Transatlantic Politics and Diplomacy '', Diplomatic History ( 1994 ) 18 # 4 pp : 463 -- 88. Jump up ^ Susan Dunn, Sister Revolutions : French Lightning, American Light ( 2000 ) Jump up ^ Lawrence S. Kaplan, `` Jefferson, the Napoleonic Wars, and the Balance of Power '', William and Mary Quarterly ( 1957 ) 14 # 2 pp. 196 -- 217 in JSTOR Jump up ^ `` Similarities Between the American and French Revolutions : Western Civilization II Guides ''. Western Civilization II Guides. Retrieved 28 January 2017. Jump up ^ `` The French Connection - Statue Of Liberty National Monument ( U.S. National Park Service ) ''. www.nps.gov. Retrieved 28 January 2017. ^ Jump up to : Rand, David. `` The Haitian Revolution. '' The Haitian Revolution. Accessed March 25, 2015. http://scholar.library.miami.edu/slaves/san_domingo_revolution/ individual_essay / david. html. Jump up ^ Ghachem, Malick W. The Old Regime and the Haitian Revolution. Cambridge : Cambridge University Press, 2012. Jump up ^ Akamefula, Tiye, Camille Newsom, Burgey Marcos, and Jong Ho. `` Causes of the Haitian Revolution. '' Haitian Revolution. September 1, 2012. Accessed March 25, 2015. http://haitianrevolutionfblock.weebly.com/causes-of-the-haitian-revolution.html. Jump up ^ Baur, John. `` International Repercussions of the Haitian Revolution. '' The Americas 26, no. 4 ( 1970 ). Jump up ^ Charles A. Hale, `` The revival of political history and the French Revolution in Mexico '', in Joseph Klaits and Michael Haltzel, eds. Global Ramifications of the French Revolution ( 2002 ), pp 158 -- 76. Jump up ^ Nikki R. Keddied, `` The French Revolution in the Middle East '', in Joseph Klaits and Michael Haltzel, eds. Global Ramifications of the French Revolution ( 2002 ), pp 140 -- 57. Further reading Amann, Peter H., ed. The Eighteenth - Century Revolution : French or Western ? ( Heath, 1963 ) readings from historians Brinton, Crane. A Decade of Revolution 1789 -- 1799 ( 1934 ) the Revolution in European context Desan, Suzanne, et al. eds. The French Revolution in Global Perspective ( 2013 ) Desan, Suzanne. `` Internationalizing the French Revolution, '' French Politics, Culture & Society ( 2011 ) 29 # 2 pp 137 -- 160. Fremont - Barnes, Gregory. ed. The Encyclopedia of the French Revolutionary and Napoleonic Wars : A Political, Social, and Military History ( ABC - CLIO : 3 vol 2006 ) Goodwin, A., ed. The New Cambridge Modern History, Vol. 8 : The American and French Revolutions, 1763 -- 93 ( 1965 ), 764pp Grab, Alexander. Napoleon and the Transformation of Europe ( Macmillan, 2003 ), country by country analysis Mazlish, Bruce. `` The French Revolution in Comparative Perspective, '' Political Science Quarterly ( 1970 ) 85 # 2 pp. 240 -- 258 in JSTOR Palmer, R.R. `` The World Revolution of the West : 1763 -- 1801, '' Political Science Quarterly ( 1954 ) 69 # 1 pp. 1 -- 14 in JSTOR Palmer, Robert R. The Age of the Democratic Revolution : A Political History of Europe and America, 1760 -- 1800. ( 2 vol 1959 ), highly influential comparative history ; vol 1 online Rapport, Mike, and Peter McPhee. `` The International Repercussions of the French Revolution. '' in A Companion to the French Revolution ( 2013 ) pp : 379 -- 396. Ross, Steven T. European Diplomatic History, 1789 -- 1815 : France Against Europe ( 1969 ) Rothenberg, Gunther E. ( Spring 1988 ). `` The Origins, Causes, and Extension of the Wars of the French Revolution and Napoleon ''. Journal of Interdisciplinary History. 18 ( 4 ) : 771 -- 93. JSTOR 204824. Rude, George F. and Harvey J. Kaye. Revolutionary Europe, 1783 -- 1815 ( 2000 ), scholarly survey excerpt and text search Schroeder, Paul. The Transformation of European Politics, 1763 -- 1848. 1996 ; Thorough coverage of diplomatic history ; hostile to Napoleon ; online edition Skocpol, Theda. States and social revolutions : A comparative analysis of France, Russia and China ( Cambridge University Press, 1979. ) influential sociological comparison French Revolution Causes Timeline Ancien Régime Revolution Constitutional monarchy Republic Directory Consulate Glossary Significant civil and political events by year 1788 Day of the Tiles ( 7 Jun 1788 ) Assembly of Vizille ( 21 Jul 1788 ) 1789 What Is the Third Estate ? ( Jan 1789 ) Réveillon riots ( 28 Apr 1789 ) Convocation of the Estates - General ( 5 May 1789 ) National Assembly ( 17 Jun -- 9 Jul 1790 ) Tennis Court Oath ( 20 Jun 1789 ) National Constituent Assembly ( 9 Jul -- 30 Sep 1791 ) Storming of the Bastille ( 14 Jul 1789 ) Great Fear ( 20 Jul -- 5 Aug 1789 ) Abolition of Feudalism ( 4 - 11 Aug 1789 ) Declaration of the Rights of Man and of the Citizen ( 27 Aug 1789 ) Women 's March on Versailles ( 5 Oct 1789 ) 1790 Abolition of the Parlements ( Feb -- Jul 1790 ) Abolition of the Nobility ( 19 Jun 1790 ) Civil Constitution of the Clergy ( 12 Jul 1790 ) 1791 Flight to Varennes ( 20 -- 21 Jun 1791 ) Champ de Mars Massacre ( 17 Jul 1791 ) Declaration of Pillnitz ( 27 Aug 1791 ) The Constitution of 1791 ( 3 Sep 1791 ) Legislative Assembly ( 1 Oct 1791 -- Sep 1792 ) 1792 France declares war ( 20 Apr 1792 ) Brunswick Manifesto ( 25 Jul 1792 ) Paris Commune becomes insurrectionary ( Jun 1792 ) 10th of August ( 10 Aug 1792 ) September Massacres ( Sep 1792 ) National Convention ( 20 Sep 1792 -- 26 Oct 1795 ) First republic declared ( 22 Sep 1792 ) 1793 Execution of Louis XVI ( 21 Jan 1793 ) Revolutionary Tribunal ( 9 Mar 1793 -- 31 May 1795 ) Reign of Terror ( 27 Jun 1793 -- 27 Jul 1794 ) Committee of Public Safety Committee of General Security Fall of the Girondists ( 2 Jun 1793 ) Assassination of Marat ( 13 Jul 1793 ) Levée en masse ( 23 Aug 1793 ) The Death of Marat ( painting ) Law of Suspects ( 17 Sep 1793 ) Marie Antoinette is guillotined ( 16 Oct 1793 ) Anti-clerical laws ( throughout the year ) 1794 Danton and Desmoulins guillotined ( 5 Apr 1794 ) Law of 22 Prairial ( 10 Jun 1794 ) Thermidorian Reaction ( 27 Jul 1794 ) Robespierre guillotined ( 28 Jul 1794 ) White Terror ( Fall 1794 ) Closing of the Jacobin Club ( 11 Nov 1794 ) 1795 Constitution of the Year III ( 22 Aug 1795 ) Conspiracy of the Equals ( Nov 1795 ) Directoire ( 1795 -- 99 ) Council of Five Hundred Council of Ancients 1797 Coup of 18 Fructidor ( 4 Sep 1797 ) Second Congress of Rastatt ( Dec 1797 ) 1799 Coup of 30 Prairial VII ( 18 Jun 1799 ) Coup of 18 Brumaire ( 9 Nov 1799 ) Constitution of the Year VIII ( 24 Dec 1799 ) Consulate Revolutionary campaigns 1792 Verdun Thionville Valmy Royalist Revolts Chouannerie Vendée Dauphiné Lille Siege of Mainz Jemappes Namur ( fr ) 1793 First Coalition Siege of Toulon ( 18 Sep -- 18 Dec 1793 ) War in the Vendée Battle of Neerwinden ) Battle of Famars ( 23 May 1793 ) Capture of San Pietro and Sant'Antioco ( 25 May 1793 ) Battle of Kaiserslautern Siege of Mainz Battle of Wattignies Battle of Hondschoote Siege of Bellegarde Battle of Peyrestortes ( Pyrenees ) First Battle of Wissembourg ( 13 Oct 1793 ) Battle of Truillas ( Pyrenees ) Second Battle of Wissembourg ( 26 -- 27 Dec 1793 ) 1794 Battle of Villers - en - Cauchies ( 24 Apr 1794 ) Battle of Boulou ( Pyrenees ) ( 30 Apr -- 1 May 1794 ) Battle of Tournay ( 22 May 1794 ) Battle of Fleurus ( 26 Jun 1794 ) Chouannerie Battle of Tourcoing ( 18 May 1794 ) Battle of Aldenhoven ( 2 Oct 1794 ) 1795 Peace of Basel 1796 Battle of Lonato ( 3 -- 4 Aug 1796 ) Battle of Castiglione ( 5 Aug 1796 ) Battle of Theiningen Battle of Neresheim ( 11 Aug 1796 ) Battle of Amberg ( 24 Aug 1796 ) Battle of Würzburg ( 3 Sep 1796 ) Battle of Rovereto ( 4 Sep 1796 ) First Battle of Bassano ( 8 Sep 1796 ) Battle of Emmendingen ( 19 Oct 1796 ) Battle of Schliengen ( 26 Oct 1796 ) Second Battle of Bassano ( 6 Nov 1796 ) Battle of Calliano ( 6 -- 7 Nov 1796 ) Battle of the Bridge of Arcole ( 15 -- 17 Nov 1796 ) The Ireland Expedition ( Dec 1796 ) 1797 Naval Engagement off Brittany ( 13 Jan 1797 ) Battle of Rivoli ( 14 -- 15 Jan 1797 ) Battle of the Bay of Cádiz ( 25 Jan 1797 ) Treaty of Leoben ( 17 Apr 1797 ) Battle of Neuwied ( 18 Apr 1797 ) Treaty of Campo Formio ( 17 Oct 1797 ) 1798 French invasion of Switzerland ( 28 January -- 17 May 1798 ) French Invasion of Egypt ( 1798 -- 1801 ) Irish Rebellion of 1798 ( 23 May -- 23 Sep 1798 ) Quasi-War ( 1798 -- 1800 ) Peasants ' War ( 12 Oct -- 5 Dec 1798 ) 1799 Second Coalition ( 1798 -- 1802 ) Siege of Acre ( 20 Mar -- 21 May 1799 ) Battle of Ostrach ( 20 -- 21 Mar 1799 ) Battle of Stockach ( 25 Mar 1799 ) Battle of Magnano ( 5 Apr 1799 ) Battle of Cassano ( 27 Apr 1799 ) First Battle of Zurich ( 4 -- 7 Jun 1799 ) Battle of Trebbia ( 19 Jun 1799 ) Battle of Novi ( 15 Aug 1799 ) Second Battle of Zurich ( 25 -- 26 Sep 1799 ) 1800 Battle of Marengo ( 14 Jun 1800 ) Battle of Hohenlinden ( 3 Dec 1800 ) League of Armed Neutrality ( 1800 -- 02 ) 1801 Treaty of Lunéville ( 9 Feb 1801 ) Treaty of Florence ( 18 Mar 1801 ) Algeciras Campaign ( 8 Jul 1801 ) 1802 Treaty of Amiens ( 25 Mar 1802 ) Military leaders French Army Eustache Charles d'Aoust Pierre Augereau Alexandre de Beauharnais Jean - Baptiste Bernadotte Louis - Alexandre Berthier Jean - Baptiste Bessières Guillaume - Marie - Anne Brune Jean François Carteaux Jean Étienne Championnet Chapuis de Tourville Adam Philippe, Comte de Custine Louis - Nicolas Davout Louis Desaix Jacques François Dugommier Thomas - Alexandre Dumas Charles François Dumouriez Pierre Marie Barthélemy Ferino Louis - Charles de Flers Paul Grenier Emmanuel de Grouchy Jacques Maurice Hatry Lazare Hoche Jean - Baptiste Jourdan François Christophe de Kellermann Jean - Baptiste Kléber Pierre Choderlos de Laclos Jean Lannes Charles Leclerc Claude Lecourbe François Joseph Lefebvre Jacques MacDonald Jean - Antoine Marbot Jean Baptiste de Marbot François Séverin Marceau - Desgraviers Auguste de Marmont André Masséna Bon - Adrien Jeannot de Moncey Jean Victor Marie Moreau Édouard Mortier, duc de Trévise Joachim Murat Michel Ney Pierre - Jacques Osten ( fr ) Nicolas Oudinot Catherine - Dominique de Pérignon Jean - Charles Pichegru Józef Poniatowski Laurent de Gouvion Saint - Cyr Barthélemy Louis Joseph Schérer Jean - Mathieu - Philibert Sérurier Joseph Souham Jean - de-Dieu Soult Louis - Gabriel Suchet Belgrand de Vaubois Claude Victor - Perrin, Duc de Belluno French Navy Charles - Alexandre Linois Opposition Austria József Alvinczi Archduke Charles, Duke of Teschen Count of Clerfayt ( Walloon ) Karl Aloys zu Fürstenberg Friedrich Freiherr von Hotze ( Swiss ) Friedrich Adolf, Count von Kalckreuth Pál Kray ( Hungarian ) Charles Eugene, Prince of Lambesc ( French ) Maximilian Baillet de Latour ( Walloon ) Karl Mack von Leiberich Rudolf Ritter von Otto ( Saxon ) Prince Josias of Saxe - Coburg - Saalfeld Peter Vitus von Quosdanovich Prince Heinrich XV of Reuss - Plauen Johann Mészáros von Szoboszló ( Hungarian ) Karl Philipp Sebottendorf Dagobert von Wurmser Britain Sir Ralph Abercromby Admiral Sir James Saumarez Admiral Sir Edward Pellew Prince Frederick, Duke of York and Albany Dutch Republic William V, Prince of Orange Prussia Charles William Ferdinand, Duke of Brunswick - Wolfenbüttel Frederick Louis, Prince of Hohenlohe - Ingelfingen Russia Alexander Korsakov Alexander Suvorov Spain Luis Firmin de Carvajal Antonio Ricardos Other significant figures and factions Society of 1789 Jean Sylvain Bailly Gilbert du Motier, Marquis de Lafayette François Alexandre Frédéric, duc de la Rochefoucauld - Liancourt Isaac René Guy le Chapelier Honoré Gabriel Riqueti, comte de Mirabeau Emmanuel Joseph Sieyès Charles - Maurice de Talleyrand - Périgord Nicolas de Condorcet Feuillants and monarchiens Madame de Lamballe Madame du Barry Louis de Breteuil Loménie de Brienne Charles Alexandre de Calonne de Chateaubriand Jean Chouan Grace Elliott Arnaud de La Porte Jean - Sifrein Maury Jacques Necker François - Marie, marquis de Barthélemy Guillaume - Mathieu Dumas Antoine Barnave Lafayette Alexandre - Théodore - Victor, comte de Lameth Charles Malo François Lameth André Chénier Jean - François Rewbell Camille Jordan Madame de Staël Boissy d'Anglas Jean - Charles Pichegru Pierre Paul Royer - Collard Girondists Jacques Pierre Brissot Roland de La Platière Madame Roland Father Henri Grégoire Étienne Clavière Marquis de Condorcet Charlotte Corday Marie Jean Hérault Jean Baptiste Treilhard Pierre Victurnien Vergniaud Bertrand Barère de Vieuzac Jérôme Pétion de Villeneuve Jean Debry Jean - Jacques Duval d'Eprémesnil Olympe de Gouges Jean - Baptiste Robert Lindet Louis Marie de La Révellière - Lépeaux The Plain Abbé Sieyès de Cambacérès Charles François Lebrun Lazare Nicolas Marguerite Carnot Philippe Égalité Louis Philippe I Mirabeau Antoine Christophe Merlin de Thionville Jean Joseph Mounier Pierre Samuel du Pont de Nemours François de Neufchâteau Montagnards Maximilien Robespierre Georges Danton Jean - Paul Marat Camille Desmoulins Louis Antoine de Saint - Just Paul Nicolas, vicomte de Barras Louis Philippe I Louis Michel le Peletier de Saint - Fargeau Jacques - Louis David Marquis de Sade Jacques - Louis David Georges Couthon Roger Ducos Jean - Marie Collot d'Herbois Jean - Henri Voulland Philippe - Antoine Merlin de Douai Antoine Quentin Fouquier - Tinville Philippe - François - Joseph Le Bas Marc - Guillaume Alexis Vadier Jean - Pierre - André Amar Prieur de la Côte - d'Or Prieur de la Marne Gilbert Romme Jean Bon Saint - André Jean - Lambert Tallien Pierre Louis Prieur Bertrand Barère de Vieuzac Antoine Christophe Saliceti Hébertists and Enragés Jacques Hébert Jacques Nicolas Billaud - Varenne Pierre Gaspard Chaumette Charles - Philippe Ronsin Antoine - François Momoro François - Nicolas Vincent François Chabot Jean Baptiste Noël Bouchotte Jean - Baptiste - Joseph Gobel François Hanriot Jacques Roux Stanislas - Marie Maillard Charles - Philippe Ronsin Jean - François Varlet Theophile Leclerc Claire Lacombe Pauline Léon Gracchus Babeuf Sylvain Maréchal Others Charles X Louis XVI Louis XVII Louis XVIII Louis Antoine, Duke of Enghien Louis Henri, Prince of Condé Louis Joseph, Prince of Condé Marie Antoinette Napoléon Bonaparte Lucien Bonaparte Joseph Bonaparte Joseph Fesch Joséphine de Beauharnais Joachim Murat Jean Sylvain Bailly Jacques - Donatien Le Ray Guillaume - Chrétien de Malesherbes Talleyrand Thérésa Tallien Gui - Jean - Baptiste Target Catherine Théot List of people associated with the French Revolution Influential thinkers Les Lumières Beaumarchais Edmund Burke Anacharsis Cloots Charles - Augustin de Coulomb Pierre Claude François Daunou Diderot Benjamin Franklin Thomas Jefferson Antoine Lavoisier Montesquieu Thomas Paine Jean - Jacques Rousseau Abbé Sieyès Voltaire Mary Wollstonecraft Cultural impact La Marseillaise French Tricolour Liberté, égalité, fraternité Marianne Bastille Day Panthéon French Republican Calendar Cult of the Supreme Being Cult of Reason Temple of Reason Sans - culottes Metric system Phrygian cap Women in the French Revolution Symbolism in the French Revolution Historiography of the French Revolution Influence of the French Revolution Retrieved from `` https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Influence_of_the_French_Revolution&oldid=801580573 '' Categories : French Revolution Impact of revolutions Hidden categories : CS1 maint : Extra text : authors list All articles with unsourced statements Articles with unsourced statements from December 2015 Articles needing additional references from December 2015 All articles needing additional references Interlanguage link template link number Articles containing French - language text Talk Contents About Wikipedia Add links This page was last edited on 20 September 2017, at 15 : 18. Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution - ShareAlike License ; additional terms may apply. By using this site, you agree to the Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. Wikipedia ® is a registered trademark of the Wikimedia Foundation, Inc., a non-profit organization. About Wikipedia

Question: what is the importance of french revolution in world history
Answer: bringing liberalism