Database: Georges Jacques Danton

Georges Jacques Danton is a favorite subject of French school textbooks in which he is often portrayed generously, in spite of his turpitudes. In reality, he went from one failure to the next*. He held a subordinate office in the commune before the sections refused to promote him. Once the King had been escorted back to Paris after his capture at Varennes, Danton first called for his death, before retracting to merely call for the king's abdication.
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*ie. He was allied with the Assassins - meaning that of course the Abstergo historian will argue for his historical irrelevance.
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He was not even elected to the short-lived Legislative Assembly in 1791. He made the most of his free time to engage in business, purchasing national assets and consolidating his fortune. He remained on the sidelines during the events of June 20, 1792, and later played no part in the preparations of August 10. Up until the battle of Valmy, this so-called minister of the people embodied France's regained audacity and patriotic unity**.
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**Note the use of the word "Audacity" - Danton's famous for calling for 'Audacity, more audacity, always audacity' in the face of overwhelming odds against the Austrian Army in 1792. It's credited for rallying the troops enough to save Paris. You may count a small thing like that as among his zero accomplishments.
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The Girondists condemned Danton's management at the Ministry of Justice and his responsibility in the September massacres***. Suspected of playing on both sides, he would never render accounts**** after his time as Minister of justice. He was removed from the Committee of Public Safety after serving a mere few months*****. Increasingly as the revolution went on, Danton called for the laying down of arms, proclaiming the need to spare the blood of men******. Robespierre and Saint-Just accused him of being excessively moderate, in other words, of treason.
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***Far be it for me to say Danton didn't have his flaws - among them, he actually did nothing about the September Massacres (He's been accused of causing them, there's no evidence of that and some historical debate as to whether he could have stopped the mobs.)
**** And money to the tune of 200,000 livres went missing while he was Minister of Justice.
*****Not mentioned: he helped found the Committee. Another of his non-accomplishments.
******Trying to end the terror - not an accomplishment. Check. Though I suppose he didn't actually end it, so - kudos, Abstergo historian! No points for just trying, eh?
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Danton was led to the Revolutionary Tribunal on March 30, 1794. Sanson reduced him to silence on April 4 along with 28 other Dantonists.
Category:Database: People
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