Hilaire Belloc

The French Revolution Hilaire Belloc

The French Revolution (1911), by Hilaire Belloc, is a comparatively short commentary on the great revolutionary experiment between the parliamentary quarrels of 1789 to the execution of Robespierre in 1794. Though the author does not attempt to present a full chronology of events, dwelling mainly on underlying ideas, the individual personalities of the main historical actor and the military aspect, he nonetheless convey a series of intriguing propositions that justify a read of this old treatise. Belloc, being both a catholic and a republican, deals in-depth with the relationship between the political theory of democracy and of moral right. Another point of interest is the - had it been publicized today - unorthodox rejection of Robespierre as the ruthless and supreme ruler of France; Belloc concluding that he was not in fact the leading influence in the Committee of Public Safety and that he was acting in accordance with a misinterpretation of public opinion, rather than radical personal convictions.