Question

What steps did the French revolutionaries take to create the sense of collective identity among the French people ?

Answer 1

Hint: Collective identity refers to the sense of belonging of an individual to a group. The group's identity, or the 'collective,' becomes part of the internal identity of the individual. The idea here is that a person can establish a sense of belonging and an identity that goes beyond the individual by engaging in social activities.It is the reply of the social movement to who we are, observing the movement within a field of political actors.

Complete answer:
In order to establish a sense of collective identity among the French people, the French revolutionaries took several important measures:
i) Ideas of la patrie (the fatherland) and le citoyen (the citizen) stressed the notion that under a constitution a single society enjoys equal rights.
ii) The royal standard was replaced by a new French flag, a tricolour.
iii) The National Assembly was called the Estates General and was elected by a coalition of committed people.
iv) In the name of the nation, new hymns, oaths and martyrs are commemorated.
v) Uniform laws were established for the entire country by a central administrative structure.
vi) Discourage local dialects and promote French as the common language of the nation.

Note:
i) The French Revolution was a political movement that began in 1789 and ended in the latter part of 1790 with the rise of Napoleon Bonaparte.
ii) The expensive role of France in the American Revolution, and lavish spending by King Louis XVI and his predecessor, had left the nation on the verge of bankruptcy as the 18th century came to a close.
iii) Around 18,000 people were decapitated by the 'national razor' during the Revolution, although some figures go as high as 40,000.