“I shall make it my chief business to see that the [royal] executive power has its place in the constitution.” Quote by Honore Gabriel Riqueti, comte de Mirabeau
“When one meddles with the direction of a revolution, the problem is not how to make it go but how to keep it under control.” ProblemRevolutionFrench Revolution Author:Honore Gabriel Riqueti, comte de Mirabeau
“I trust we shall never be reduced to the painful extremity of seeking the aid of Mirabeau.” RevolutionPainfulSeekingAidsFrench RevolutionExtremity Author:Marie Antoinette
“Jacobins, I have a truth to tell you. You do not know your most deadly enemies; they are the constitutional priests. It is they who protest most in the provinces against anarchists, disorganisers, Dantonism, Robespierrism, Jacobinism... Do not cherish any longer the popular errors; cut at the roots of superstition! Declare openly that the priests are your enemies.” KnowsEnemyCuttingRevolutionRootsErrorsProtestPriestsCherishSuperstitionsAnarchistProvincesFrench Revolution Author:Jean-Paul Marat
“Louis XVI started to die on June 21st 1791. For his flight tore away the veil of that false constitutional monarchy, and once more confronted the Patriot party with the whole problem of the revolution's future.” WholeProblemDiesPartyRevolutionFlightPatriotVeilsJuneMonarchyFrench RevolutionConstitutional Monarchy Author:Francois Furet
“[We need] someone bold, to put himself at the head of the disaffected and rally them against the oppressor. Some great character who could captivate the people... someone wise who could direct the actions of an unbridled and floating multitude.” PeopleNeedsCharacterActionWiseRevolutionDirectMultitudesFloatingOppressorsFrench RevolutionGreat Character Author:Jean-Paul Marat
“Here, the revolution was prepared. Here it was achieved. Here all the great events were fostered.” EventsRevolutionPreparedFrench RevolutionGreat Events Author:Georges Couthon
“We must institute a coup d'etat, a third revolution, which must beat down anarchy. Dissolve the Paris Commune and destroy its sections! Dissolve the clubs, which preach disorder and equality! Close the Jacobin Club and seal up its papers! ... The triumvirate of Robespierre, Danton and Marat, all the 'levellers', all the anarchists. Then a new Convention will be elected.” RevolutionPaperBeatsThirdsClubsParisDisorderAnarchyConventionsSectionsPapersAnarchistInstituteSealsFrench RevolutionCommunesCoups Author:Jacques Pierre Brissot
“The ministers and the Jacobins are making the king declare war tomorrow on Austria. The ministers are hoping that this move will frighten the Austrians and that within three weeks we will be negotiating (God forbid that this should happen). May we at last be avenged for all the outrages we have suffered from this country!” ShouldMayWarCountryHappensLastsMovingThreeWeekRevolutionKingsTomorrowMinistersOutrageFrench RevolutionNegotiatingAustria Author:Marie Antoinette
“When a people, having become free, establish wise laws, their revolution is complete... Peace and prosperity, public virtue, victory, everything is in the vigor of the laws. Outside of the laws, everything is sterile and dead.” PeopleLawVirtueWiseRevolutionVictoryProsperityVigorFrench Revolution Author:Louis Antoine de Saint-Just
“The disorganisers are those who want to level everything: property, comforts, the price of commodities, the various services rendered to the State... who want the workmen in the camp to receive the salary of the legislator... who want to level even talents, knowledge, the virtues, because they themselves have none of these things.” WantStatesPoliticalLevelsKnowledgeVirtueTalentRevolutionComfortPropertyVariousEqualityInequalityCampsOrganizeCommoditySalaryLegislatorsFrench RevolutionWorkmenOrganisedPricing Author:Jacques Pierre Brissot