Nope, Robespierre was of the Cult of the Supreme Being, which under him replaced the Cult of Reason, and he strongly rejected their atheism
In the spring of 1794, the Cult of Reason was faced with official repudiation when Robespierre, nearing complete dictatorial power, announced his own establishment of a new, deistic religion for the Republic, the Cult of the Supreme Being.[11] Robespierre denounced the Hébertistes on various philosophical and political grounds, specifically rejecting their atheism. When Hébert, Momoro, Ronsin, Vincent and others were sent to the guillotine on 4 Germinal, Year II (March 24 1794), the cult lost its most influential leadership; when Chaumette and other Hébertistes followed them four days later, the cult effectively ceased to exist. It was officially banned by Napoleon Bonaparte with his Law on Cults of 18 Germinal, Year X.[12]
That, and the Reign of Terror is really overhyped, in many people’s minds being like the only period in the Revolution: it lasted only a year and a month. There was lots of stuff before (especially if you start counting from 1789 rather than 93), and lots of stuff after until Napoleon took the helm in 1799, officially ending the First Republic when he became Emperor in 1804. Saying French Revolution = Reign Of Terror is a bit like saying Soviet Russia = Stalinism or USA = Prohibition+ Roaring Twenties + Great Depression. In the anglo-saxon world the French revolution is treated as an awful monstruosity to be avoided at all costs, while the French themselves still see it in a very positive light. (I’d quote [Utena] here as a parable of a nation-scale Coming Of Age Story, but that would be a bit too much.)
This is a bit of a derail, but it’d be hard for a topic about Le Culte de la Raison not to be about the French Revolution too...
In the anglo-saxon world the French revolution is treated as an awful monstruosity to be avoided at all costs, while the French themselves still see it in a very positive light.
For what it’s worth, I’m French and have mixed feelings about the revolution. It has quite a few similarities with the Chinese revolution / the Cultural Revolution (I know some people who lived through it), which isn’t that glorious seen up close; and countries who didn’t get rid of their kings like England seem to be doing quite well too. On the other hand, yay France, boo kings!
Momo chez nous en france en liberté
malin fraternité l’égalité sur les pieces de monnaie
la liberté d’accord mais passons la monnaie
l’egalité too much mais pas pour le confort
fraternité y en a mais pas pour le porte monnaie
mais du travail y’en a pour toi la plonge et au chantier!
That is… actually I was going to try a Cultural Translation), but I gave up mid-way. Emile can attest that this is a tough one. The point this fragment tries to make is that, despite France reclaiming the heritage of the Revolution and Enlightenment, going as far as printing the motto “Liberty, Equality, Fraternity” on the money coins, doesn’t change the fact that those are money coins: in other words, that the extreme idealism in those words is constantly belied by the daily life. Nevertheless, the fact that the State uses those symbols and ideals as a source of national pride, cohesion, and self-legitimization has the drawback that in every era there are people who actually believe in the stuff, rather than merely Cheering And Professing like they’re supposed to, and are ready to go to great lengths to make it real. AFAIK, the USA have the same problem with the Constitution (especially the Second Amendment), the Communists had this with actual communism, the Divine Right monarchies with The Fundamentalists...
To sum it up, as far as I can tell, the French are very proud of the Revolution, and of the Empire too, and some of them may go as far as to think the entire world owes them the gift of enlightenment and liberalism… but don’t ask most of them to enact its ideals, especially the politicians. Amirite, Émile?
You do realize it was a follower of the cult of reason, Robespierre, who was responsible for the reign of terror.
Nope, Robespierre was of the Cult of the Supreme Being, which under him replaced the Cult of Reason, and he strongly rejected their atheism
That, and the Reign of Terror is really overhyped, in many people’s minds being like the only period in the Revolution: it lasted only a year and a month. There was lots of stuff before (especially if you start counting from 1789 rather than 93), and lots of stuff after until Napoleon took the helm in 1799, officially ending the First Republic when he became Emperor in 1804. Saying French Revolution = Reign Of Terror is a bit like saying Soviet Russia = Stalinism or USA = Prohibition+ Roaring Twenties + Great Depression. In the anglo-saxon world the French revolution is treated as an awful monstruosity to be avoided at all costs, while the French themselves still see it in a very positive light. (I’d quote [Utena] here as a parable of a nation-scale Coming Of Age Story, but that would be a bit too much.)
This is a bit of a derail, but it’d be hard for a topic about Le Culte de la Raison not to be about the French Revolution too...
For what it’s worth, I’m French and have mixed feelings about the revolution. It has quite a few similarities with the Chinese revolution / the Cultural Revolution (I know some people who lived through it), which isn’t that glorious seen up close; and countries who didn’t get rid of their kings like England seem to be doing quite well too. On the other hand, yay France, boo kings!
If you will forgive the musical interlude:
That is… actually I was going to try a Cultural Translation), but I gave up mid-way. Emile can attest that this is a tough one. The point this fragment tries to make is that, despite France reclaiming the heritage of the Revolution and Enlightenment, going as far as printing the motto “Liberty, Equality, Fraternity” on the money coins, doesn’t change the fact that those are money coins: in other words, that the extreme idealism in those words is constantly belied by the daily life. Nevertheless, the fact that the State uses those symbols and ideals as a source of national pride, cohesion, and self-legitimization has the drawback that in every era there are people who actually believe in the stuff, rather than merely Cheering And Professing like they’re supposed to, and are ready to go to great lengths to make it real. AFAIK, the USA have the same problem with the Constitution (especially the Second Amendment), the Communists had this with actual communism, the Divine Right monarchies with The Fundamentalists...
To sum it up, as far as I can tell, the French are very proud of the Revolution, and of the Empire too, and some of them may go as far as to think the entire world owes them the gift of enlightenment and liberalism… but don’t ask most of them to enact its ideals, especially the politicians. Amirite, Émile?