Running Head: Primary Source Analysis 1

Running head: PRIMARY SOURCE ANALYSIS 1
Primary Source Analysis
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PRIMARY SOURCE ANALYSIS 2
Primary Source Analysis – “Report on the Principles of Political Morality”
“Report on the Principles of Political Morality” was a speech delivered by Maximilien
Robespierre as the leader of the Committee of Public Safety instituted to defend the French
Revolution from those that opposed it. The speech was delivered on February 5, 1794, to the Commented [G1]: Inserted: ,
National Convention, the first government of the land to be organized as a republic following the
abolishment of the monarchy during the French Revolution. Robespierre gave the speech as a
vessel through which he could explain to his allies his political vision for France. He felt the
need to explain why the Revolution had to continue at all costs and as a public servant, it was his
duty to defend it and thus, push it forward.
Robespierre, in his speech, championed for the commitment to the concepts of the
Republican foundation and the coercion of the parties that stood against the commitments with Commented [G2]: Inserted: R
Commented [G3]: Deleted:r
the chief goal of securing a stable republic that could be sustained. “Holding up terror as the
sword of liberty,” Robespierre sought to justify the necessity of the war and revolution by
insisting that the events could not be avoided because they were the perceived avenues through
which liberty and equality could be realized. According to Robespierre, both the war and the
Revolution were a means to an end and their key goal was to ensure and sustain the survival of
the republic. He insisted to the Convention that everyone should strive to serve the republic and
their country should be one which laws apply equally to all people.
Robespierre believed in virtue rather than democracy where adherence to his ideals of
equality, democracy would be achieved. In his speech, he asserts that virtue is “the fundamental Commented [G4]: Inserted: d
Commented [G5]: Inserted: ,
principle of popular or democratic government” to mean that it is what sustains and moves
Commented [G6]: Deleted: and
democratic government. He believed virtue worked wonders in Rome and Greece and could do
much more for France. According to him, virtue was “nothing other than the love of the nation
PRIMARY SOURCE ANALYSIS 3
and its laws.” As for the ideal methods governments could use to defend virtues, Robespierre
recommended the use of terror to achieve a virtuous state. In his view, virtue was the motivation
of a government in times of peace. However, during a revolution virtue has to be accompanied
by terror since both facilitate each other in that terror without virtue is fatal and virtue without
terror is impotent.
The French Revolution saw the fall of monarchial rule and ushered a reign of terror and
totalitarianism. Terror and violence were embraced during the revolution as a form of Commented [G7]: Inserted: ere
Commented [G9]: Deleted:as
government, which thus established justified totalitarianism. However, the revolution could also
be considered as the beginning of true democracy since human rights, equality and love for one's
country were achieved in the end. Robespierre insisted that if one loved their country, then they Commented [G8]: Inserted: ere
Commented [G10]: Deleted:as
also loved equality and democracy is equality. Robespierre advised that if the foundations of
democracy were to be laid and the peaceful reign of constitutional laws achieved, then the storms
presented by the revolution had to be conquered but only through “the war of liberty against
tyranny.” This defines the contradictory ideas that the radical revolution indeed marked the
beginning of justified totalitarianism and consequently that of modern democracy.
The relevance of the “Report on the Principles of Political Morality” as a primary source
chiefly borders on the efforts to sustain the French Revolution and the change that came as a
result of the confrontation to the French. The speech explained why that was not the time to
dismantle terror and that its sustenance was instrumental in realizing the goal of the revolution –
“The peaceful enjoyment of liberty and equality.”

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Primary Source Analysis

Primary Source Analysis – “Report on the Principles of Political Morality”

“Report on the Principles of Political Morality” was a speech delivered by Maximilien

duty to defend it and thus, push it forward.

of a government in times of peace. However, during a revolution virtue has to be accompanied

beginning of justified totalitarianism and consequently that of modern democracy.

“The peaceful enjoyment of liberty and equality.”

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