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The French Revolution is typically the main historical dividing line between the ancient European
regimes and the modern world. It marked the transition from the traditional social order to a
democratic system. Nevertheless, the transition process was long and violent which eventually led to
Napoleon Bonaparte rising to power in 1799 through a military coup d’état. Even though much of its
impact was confined to France, it spread to other parts of Europe and the rest of the world. It marked
the beginning of the revolutionary wars in the world over. The French Revolution marked the first
occasion whereby a democratic government employed political terror was used as a weapon to advance
its political course. Thousands of people were executed for political crimes and violence was a common
occurrence during that period. Today, political terror and the increasing threat of terrorists is a reality,
all of which seem to have taken cue from the French Revolution. Much debate has been generated on
the way the French revolution was carried out. Some people argue out that terror began with the
revolution and was the main driving force of the revolution from the on-set while others cite the fact
that terror in the revolution was inevitable. It can be argued that the use terror in the revolution was the
“labor pains” that the country had to undergo in order to reap the benefits of democracy. Despite the
debate surrounding terror, it should be noted that the reign of terror in the French Revolution was
inevitable. It was necessary and a justified part of the revolution. To ensure the success of the
revolution, terror was always bound to happen.
It is a common saying that desperate times always call for desperate measures. A few years after the
French revolution had begun; France found itself in desperate times. In as much as the constitution had
been written and some progressive and elite reforms being implemented all over the country, the
country was engaging in costly wars with Prussia and Austria and the government had also been
