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British reaction to the French Revoloution?

What do you think the overall reaction in Britain was to the French Revolution? Do you thing it changed after the regicide and the ensuing terror?
Reply 1
As far as I know Pitt was somewhat indifferent, he had the view that the French could do what they wanted in France, it was only when the revolutionaries tried to force their ideals on their neighbors that the British reacted.
I'd have assumed that it would have terrified Britain, for fears that it would spark revolutions in British colonies, such as the US or Ireland.
Reply 3
They love their monarchy a little bit too much in Britain
Reply 4
Original post by That Bearded Man
I'd have assumed that it would have terrified Britain, for fears that it would spark revolutions in British colonies, such as the US or Ireland.


US revolution was before French, and France helped America.

US on the whole is extremely anti monarchy/imperialism
Reply 5
Original post by Ripper-Roo
US revolution was before French, and France helped America.

US on the whole is extremely anti monarchy/imperialism


Yes, one of the great hypocrisies - America, the nation that so despises imperialism has scrubbed out the existence of it's own empire from the history books, feeble though it was/ is. Or do Guam, the Philippines and Samoa not count? Are they not good enough? They also ignore the fact that one of the motivating factors of the American "revolution" was that the Americans felt they had a right to pursue an Empire of their own. Just another way in which America has knowingly twisted history to their own ends; don't even get me started on Abraham Lincoln.

They aren't anti-imperialism, they never have been. Their existence is based on colonization and i'm not talking about the British Empire, i'm talking about their taking land from the natives in the name of 'Manifest Destiny'. America split from Britain under the pretense that Empire was wrong - they then proceeded to carve out a new one of their own. Absolute, stone cold, hypocrisy.
Reply 6
Original post by Jjj90
Yes, one of the great hypocrisies - America, the nation that so despises imperialism has scrubbed out the existence of it's own empire from the history books, feeble though it was/ is. Or do Guam, the Philippines and Samoa not count? Are they not good enough? They also ignore the fact that one of the motivating factors of the American "revolution" was that the Americans felt they had a right to pursue an Empire of their own. Just another way in which America has knowingly twisted history to their own ends; don't even get me started on Abraham Lincoln.

They aren't anti-imperialism, they never have been. Their existence is based on colonization and i'm not talking about the British Empire, i'm talking about their taking land from the natives in the name of 'Manifest Destiny'. America split from Britain under the pretense that Empire was wrong - they then proceeded to carve out a new one of their own. Absolute, stone cold, hypocrisy.


Still, Britain is a worse country.
Reply 7
Original post by Ripper-Roo
US revolution was before French, and France helped America.

US on the whole is extremely anti monarchy/imperialism


The Founders openly spoke of creating a continental empire, and as Jjj90 has noted they used 'manifest destiny' to justify it.

You'd also be surprised by how close the United States came to being a monarchy. Most Americans expected Washington to use the Continental Army to seize power and become a monarch after the defeat of the British, but instead he resigned unconditionally. The idea of a president serving for four years was also quite novel. There was a lot of support for a hereditary monarchy and the idea of having an elected monarch was also tossed around.
Reply 8
Original post by Ripper-Roo
Still, Britain is a worse country.


Please, do explain. :cookie:
Reply 9
Original post by Fezzick123
Please, do explain. :cookie:


I don't need to.

Anyway my knowledge of the US revolution is patchy if non existent I was just pointing out it was before the French so I'm not interested in a debate on whether the US is imperialistic or not.
Reply 10
Original post by Jjj90
Yes, one of the great hypocrisies - America, the nation that so despises imperialism has scrubbed out the existence of it's own empire from the history books, feeble though it was/ is. Or do Guam, the Philippines and Samoa not count? Are they not good enough? They also ignore the fact that one of the motivating factors of the American "revolution" was that the Americans felt they had a right to pursue an Empire of their own. Just another way in which America has knowingly twisted history to their own ends; don't even get me started on Abraham Lincoln.

They aren't anti-imperialism, they never have been. Their existence is based on colonization and i'm not talking about the British Empire, i'm talking about their taking land from the natives in the name of 'Manifest Destiny'. America split from Britain under the pretense that Empire was wrong - they then proceeded to carve out a new one of their own. Absolute, stone cold, hypocrisy.


Nah, there was never much of an imperialist attitude or sentiment until after the spanish-american war, or rather, until 5 years later. They went into that war on a wave of sympathy for the cubans, hatred for the spanish, to unite themselves, and because they saw them as 'where they had been 100 years ago'. It wasn't until after the war, bull**** like gp posturing and the platt amendment that american imperialism really seated in. And even then, they saw themselves as both righteous and saviours. Can't overlook the religious aspect either, sticking their fingers up at papal bulls and the like. Even after cuba etc, a lot of americans were notably anti imperialist.
Reply 11
Original post by Ripper-Roo
They love their monarchy a little bit too much in Britain


And because of that, Cromwell had killed a monarch...
Reply 12
And about the French revolution, I think the main aim of the british ruling class was to avoid a unique continental power in Europe, like the French republic.
Initially the British government was quite favourable to the revolution, as were the Opposition and many interested parties outside of Parliament. There was the famous pamphlet war between Edmund Burke, Thomas Paine and Mary Wollstonecraft (among others), and Burke was seen largely as an alarmist minority. But he was proved right, ultimately.

Hostility to the revolution grew after the new French legislature began attacking church and property rights throughout France. The legislature came up with some truly crazy, crank ideas based on metrical assumptions of human nature rather than application based on past experiences. Then the King was executed, the monarchy abolished, and the Terror ensued. Once that happened, British opinion to the revolution turned resolutely sour.

There's some thought that if Napoleon had satisfied himself with the borders of France and refrained from his habit of using war as a first resort, the British might have grudgingly acknowledged him as France's rightful sovereign. But as he was determined to dominated Europe, and it had long remained Britain's policy to prevent one power doing that, Britain could never accept Napoleon on the throne.
Original post by Ripper-Roo

US on the whole is extremely anti monarchy/imperialism


To be fair the United States was come the beginning of the 20th Century a de facto imperial power. Territories taken during the Spanish-American war such as Guam and Puerto Rico were effectively American colonies, with Cuba and the Philippines having nominal independence. Let us also not forget their massive financial and material support to France during their colonial war in Indochina. The United States has a terrible habit of saying one thing, and then doing the opposite.
Britain was actually terrified and shocked at the french revolution like most of Europe.

They harbored many french aristocrats who where trying to flee and supported a french royal family who they had been war with previously. Britain actively supported Europe even going as far as using it's army during the french revolutionary wars. Britain partially did not want a repeat of the english civil war and also realised that both sides in our previous civil war would not have been safe in a new revolution.

The British parliament's mind set was so altered they where pretty much terrified about a british revolution until the mid 1800's.

You have to remember the whole anti-monarchy feeling during the french revolution was nothing to do with notions of democracy, more the massive gap between the rich aristocracy and average people. Up until the 20th century most british MP's were still upper class and many relied on pointing out how the middle classes had buggered france up following the revolution to support the view the common people should not have the vote until the 1918/28.

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