French Revolution vs. Election of 2008

History repeats itself. This famous quote that has been proven multiple times through history. Even two events which take place almost hundreds of years apart from each other may have similar qualities. The French Revolution and the current American Presidential Election of 2008 are closely intertwined with similar events.

The change in French government mirrors the change in government policy and administration with the 2008 election of Barrack Obama. The use of fear is evident in both the French Revolution and the Election of 2008. The media was a big part of both historical events.

History has shown that it is repeated maybe not in all ways but in small details it is visible to see the connections from one generation to the next in decision making. Change in authority and the persuasion of the people have been two prime factors in history and how it has been written.

In the fall of 1792, the revolutionary government of France, set about electing a National Convention of delegates to oversee the country. In late September, the first election took place under the rules of the Constitution of 1791. The first action of The Convention, on September 21, 1792, was to abolish the monarchy. The next day, the Republic of France was founded. As a sign of the republic’s newfound resolution for the monarchy, the proposal before the National Convention was the execution of Louis XVI.

The judges objected but eventually forced a trial, however, the effort was vain. Louis XVI was found guilty of treason and, on January 21, 1793, executed at the guillotine. Not much longer later on October 16, 1793, Marie-Antoinette, his wife, met the same fate. Nearly two-hundred years later a similar action had taken place in America. Barrack Obama was elected a Democrat into a Republican run Congress and former Republican Executive Branch. Although he did not cut off anyone’s head he made sure that everything was changed up. Elections for Congress came and Democrats became the majority of the Senate and oddly enough of the House.

The fiscal crisis that has been going on for the last few years was the main source for this change. His promises showed the American people that he could fix the problem and therefore the people voted for the Democrats so he could pass his bills. The Republican Party was all but dead and the Democrats started a new reign in the government. The persuasion of people and their views is very important in both historical events.

The use of emotion human against the people has been very popular throughout history. Robespierre used the guillotine as a sign of terror. Robespierre, under the support of the Committee of Public Safety, began accusing anyone whose beliefs seemed to be counterrevolutionary, simply citizens who had committed no actual crime but rather had social or political agendas that differed too much from Robespierre’s. The Committee targeted even citizens with Jacobin views but were perceived as too radical or conservative. Robespierre is quoted on February 5th, 1794 by saying,

“The Terror is nothing other than prompt, severe, inflexible justice.”

During the nine-month period that followed, anywhere from 15,000 to 50,000 French citizens were beheaded at the guillotine. The connection between the French Revolution and the American political elections is that Barrack Obama also used a scare tactic to attract voters.

Not in the same way Robespierre did. Obama did not go cutting off people’s heads! Rather he used financial promises and the facts of the fiscal crisis to frighten people. He did not accuse anyone of any actions but rather he pointed his finger at a possible solution scaring people into believing his way of solving the problem was the best and only way.

From human emotion to the transformation of a government history has repeated itself. Robespierre had created a new government by eliminating the current rulers and Obama has done something quite similar. The Democratic Party is the majority in the House and the Senate, a completely radical change from the pervious Busch administration. Both rulers has used human emotions to their advantage. Fear is a strong emotion that when evoked from humans can become a powerful persuasion. The Reign of Terror was Robespierre’s ticket to changing the Revolution.

The Committee of Public Safety was killing people left and right for the smallest and minor details of their political agenda. This scared people into giving Robespierre and the Committee power. Obama, however, used the fiscal crisis to his advantage by promising solutions. He was appealing to the fear of the people, and he prospered from it. History has this odd was of repeating itself, never in the exact same way, but in smaller ones. It is up to the people to find and discover them.