A.Ü.D.T.C.
F TARİH BÖLÜMÜ KONFERANSLARı Dİzİsİ
Dimitris LOULES(*)
THE FRENCH REVOLUTION AND ITS
INFLUENCE UPON GREECE
The Great Revolution of ı798 in France may tightly be consi- i
dered as the crucial point between modem and contemporary histo-
ry and also as the landmark which separa tes the period of the theo-
cratic state based on the monarchy "by the Grace of God", from
'one side, and the era of nationalizm and the acceptance of the prin-
ciple of people's sovereignity, However at the day in which the
rather symbolic prison-castle of Bastille crumbled under way of
weath of the Paris revolutionist, thus provoking a painful surpise
not only to the ruling class of France but also to the royal circles in
other Europen countries, in the distant Balkan Peninsula there were
only a few, who could foresee that this worldwide event was just .
the beginning of a series of unexpected development, which in tum
would decisivly affect the future of the Balkan populations still liv-
ing under the GUarnan administration,
"Man" -had once declared Robespierre-" is bom in order to.
liv~ in freedom and prosperity; but everywhere he is enslaved, and
unhappy, Society which should aim in preserving his rights, still it
oppresses and denotes him. It is aıready time bring him back to his
real destiny, it is the evolution of the human logic which prepared
the road to this Great Revoluiton", if those words of the prominent
French revolutionist became for millions of their hopes to put an
end to social inequality, for the Balkan peoples unsuspicious so far-
.they would cause, slowly but s~eadily the hasteing of the procedure,
(*) Dimitris Loules. Ass. Prof. of Modem History, Faculty of Philosophy University of
Ioannina - GREECE. i
. 283
which eventually led to the ir national self- consciousness and later
to their political independence.
The French Revolution was' a synthesis of various factors-
social and economic- and may be characterized as the most succes-
ful attempt, until that time, of the bourgeoi,s class to claim and ob-
tain the political power, where it already had ac~ieved a serious ec- .
onomic presence. To be sure this class greatly benefited by the
~evolution, but is is also certain that the whole 19th century which
created and form ed the cultural frame in several countries and often
enforced remerkable reforms on the prevailing socio-economic sys-
tem in others, was deeply sealed by this great historical event. The
new capitalistic soc.ial structure, whic was based primariıyon mod-
ern productive relations and was promoted by the economically
powerful and ambitious stage withinthe Balkans, although in a
lesser degree in Grece, where, for geopolitical and cultural reasons,
the capitalistic productive forces began, albeit slowly, to emerge
during the 18th century, mainly through the Greeks of the Diaspo-
ra, but alsoin proper Greece with certain special differentiations ..
The new pamphlet doctrines of the Enlightenment which was a,
phenemenon preceding to the French Revolution, began to be
spread throughout Greece, especially after the revolts of the 1770's,
which contributed to the strenghtening of the Hellenic land and sea-
trade as well as to the establishment and growth of several manu-
facture centres in Greece and in other Balkan areas. The enlighten-
ment as a social movement was to be altered as to its concept
following the revolution meanwhile the development of a petty
bourgeoisie in the Balkans and mostly in Greece is closely related
to the foundation of an impressive number of schools in which,
contrary to the practice of the past years, new subjects were taught
from the field of natural sciences, while at the same time the teach-
ing of classical and religious studies was accordingly restricted. For
obvious reasons these innovations in the education met with strong
reaction from the their spiritual establishment, which at that time,
was represented by the higher clergy. The main principles of the
French Revolution-Liberty, Equality, Fratemity- were officially de-
nounced, while the study of mathematics and other natural sciences
was similarly discouraged. But this reaction, which actually should
not be surprising- however vigorous it became in the course of the
time- had a limited influence, since the new ideology sponsored by
the bourgeoisie class began to acquire its first followers among the
large masses of the people, slowly but decisively.
284
Following the conflicts between Russia and the Ottoman Em-
pre in Iate 18th century and the famous treaty of Küçük Kaynarca,
which was crucial for the financial and social development in Bal-
kans, the American war of independence in ,1776, in which for the
first time were openly proclaimed the rights of the citizens, greatly
contributed to the ideological formation of the Hellenic national
awakening. However the consequences of the French Revolution,
which followed soo n afterwarels, had an even stranger influence in
the intellectuel development of the Balkan peoples. The well
known text of the "Droits de l'Homme et de citoyen" which was the
ideological base of the French revolutibnists, offered an additional
. impulse and certain, new o,rientations in the national liberation
movement of the Balkan Peoples, especially of those who had al-
ready acquired their national self-consciousness.
Very important was the role of the Greek Enlighteness in order
to prepare, their compatriots in accepting and assimilating the doc-
trines of the Enlightenment and the French Revolution. Aıready by
the second decade of the 18th century we notice the emergence of
the first representatives of the Modern Hellenic Enlightenment,
who' were the "products" of the new social and economic changes,
which capitalism had inflicted in Western Europe. The majority of
these "Teachers of the Greek Nation", as theyare called, wore the
clergy cloth, so that their work was facilitated by the Ottoman Em-
pire, which while it had aıready begun its long but steady course to
decline had by largemoves hindered the development of education
within the Balkans, Their main contribution is mostly concentrated
in attempting to reform the theirpredominant education system, ac-
coding to the new progressive social principles. At the same time
they helped to promote both, the new philosophic theories, firstly
expressed by Western European Enlighteness, as well as the natural
sciences knowledge -as aıready mentioned. AIso, and contrary to
the then existing anachronistic system of education to Greek
schools, they introduced the British originated, and widely app'lied
in western Europe, method of mutual instruction or "lancesterian"
education system. Meanwhile we should observe that though the
odious reaction of the local social and religious establishment
against the new progressive ideology. It was concealed a form of
class struggle among the traditional ruling class and the emerging
bourgeoisre, which at that time, played arather progressive role
and within its ranks had succeeded to gather a considerable part of
the Hellenic Intellegentsia. The ethnic ruling class, mostly repsent-
285
ed by the rich landowners was able to foresee the danger which
threatened its absolute secuİar, and in some ways spiritual, domin~-
tion above the illiterate popular masses" which-to the advantage of
the same ruling, class- were methodically rept in dark ignorance.
The sen se of liberty, which was propagated by the French Revolu-
tionists, had been characterized as the devil's work by the "Paternal
Teaching" (Patriki Didoskalia) a text with open anti-Fn;nch con-
tains, which was published in 1798 widely distributed in Southem
Balkans, ,and is attribut~d to the Patriach Gregory V. Although
these preachings, as well as other similar proceeding could not in
no modest the value of the French Revolution or cause a bad fame
to the Enlightenment, they had however same negative can se-
quences for the intellectual 'Greeks who adopted its principles and
further attempted to spread them over Greece. Most of them had to
face various prosecutions, others were obliged to go abroad, while
in the case of Methodius Anthzakitis, a high school teacher in Ioan-
riina-an important cultural centre in Ottoman Greece- the practice
of the Spanish inspired auto da je was promptly rapeated. Anthzaki-
tis himself was obJiged' to bum his own books, since according to
K. Koumas, anather Greek scholar and Enlightener, "the teaching
of mathematics was considered as a source of atheism".
However, in sipite of the numerous and unceased persecutions,
the efforts of these Greek preachers of the Enlightenment were not
without results. Among other, their contribution to the formatian of
the comman people's language (Dirnotiki), is con'sidered of high
importance, the most prominent on this, task were D. Kataztzi-
Photiadi and Rhigar Phezaios. The latter had once declared that his
mind was only dealing with Freedam and the language issue, which
often was divided the people, Alsa, their work to modernize the
Hellenic education system helped to the further strengtening of the
Greek nations self-consciousness. Althogh there might exist certain
inevitable imperfections, these could certainly not reduce the obvi-
ously progressive and regenerating results of their work, which pre-
pared spilritiually the Greek in their future national liberating strug-
gle. it was for this aim that they decisively attempted to spread
, among ~he Greeks the doctrines inspired by the French Revolution.
"The greatest part of the Greeks" -wrote with some exaggeration
the Paris newspaper Gazette de France in 18.12.1797- "had so
gladly accepted the new ideology, that when they try to compare
their present condition with that in Liberty and Equality, they be-
.
came totally abstracted and from ecstasy theyare passed to frenzy" .
286
.'
The effects of the French Revolution, while they had decisive-
ly influenced in many aspects all nations in the Balkan Peninsula,
they had also left their traces in Ottoman administration, and espe-
cially among its official. elements who favours administratiye re~
forms. It is noteworthy that although France, especilly during the
troublesome Napoleonic period, was in continuous warfere with al-
most all European Powers, ıt mainta4ıed friendly relations with the
Ottoman empire, ıt is also remarkable that ~here were even cases in
which the Sultan himself affected by the principles of the French
revolutiori, attempted to dealy the decline of the empire by adopt-
ing certa in reform issues mainly as far as the strenghtening of cen-
tral administration was concemed. A typical example is that of Sul-
t8:n Selim III who concluded an alliance with the French Emperor
and on the pretext of a mutiny of the genissaries in Serbia, he tried
to abolish this, often dangerous and rather anachronistic, military
order although his sincere efforts were fruitless and eventually he
was dethroned in 1807. We can possibly consider his reform meas-
ures as the first steps to the modemization of the Ottoman state-
some how the prelude to Tanzimat- which in tum had positive ef- ,
fects upon its Christian subjects.
The French revolutionary ideology by itself, the well known
political and social changes which followed and finally the rise of
the impressive personality of Napoleon, had left indelible sings to
the Balkan Peninsula. Many Balkanians, mostly Greeks and Serbi-
ans were recmited as soldiers in the battalions created by the
French, while the latter occupied militarily the seven lonia Islands.
When these battalions were abolished later on, they retumed to
their respectiye countries and became, often unvoluntary, the mis-
sionaries of the new progressive doctrines, which were diametrical-
ly opposed to, until that time, the predominant socialorder. In addi-
tion to the se factors we should not disregard the role of the
students, Serbian, Romanian, Greek and other Balkanians, who
went for.higher studies in Westem European Universities and hav-
ing completed their courses. They came back to their motherland to
be there after the warmest partisans of the political and social re-
forms in the west. Last but not least we should not ignore the im-
portant, although inadequately investigated role of certain contem-
porary semi-political societies notably the free masomy, which
contributed to the formation of the free thinking and the Balkan in-
tellegemia. Tectonic lodges were freuqently emerged in many Bal-
kan trade centres soon after the breaking of the French revolution.
287
Besides the indirect circulation of the new ideology in the Bal-
kans, we should also mention the direct contracts between the bal-
kan peoples and the French. As a result of the French presence in
the area, during the occupation of the lonian Islands which lasted
from 1797- i798 and 1807- i814, as well as in the short lived,
though importanl. French supported puppet state, which was creat-
ed along the Dolmation coasts at about the same period.
Another note worthy point, which should be an object for fur-
ther historical research, is the effect of the French revolution in the
economic development which appeared at the beginning of the 19th
century, especially in the field of the merchant marine. "The French
Revolution" -wrote an author contemporary to the fiest Greek Pres-
ident Kammis Capodistzia" reaminated the appressed souls of the
Greeks and gradually contributed to the foundation of their com-
mercial fleet, thus augmenting their trade transactions. From those
who had emigrated in the West European countries, some acquired
knowledge and others collected money, which both -all of them-
they decided to dispose of, when they retumed to their motherland,
in order to promote their great and permanent wish!". Certainly it is
not by chance that the education in Greece had dramatically pros-
pered after 1789, and was almost exclusively licanced by the ethnic
bourgeois class inspired by the new progressiye doctrines.
The Hellenic audient a lesser degree-other balkan communities
in central and Westem European countries became an additional
_ channel for the spreading of the revolutionary ideology in the Pe-
ninsula, since the various commercial houses retained strong eco-
nomic and other links with their respectiye countries. The "Napole-
onic Wars" in early 19th century caused the egradual we<ı-keningof
the West European merchantfleets in Eastem mediterennean Sea;
the gap was promptly and succesfully filled by the Greek owned
merchant marine which rose to the zennith of its streng~h during the
European coast bloekades, imposed altematively by the belligrant
powers, until the final fall of the Napoleonic regime in 1814. The
demand of agricultural products from the East-especially from the
Southem Balkans where, because of the easy transportation
through the sea ports, tradebussiness were iııcreasingly facilitated
augemented considerably and was subsequently followed by an
equal development in manufacturing. The economic regeneration
of Greece hefore 1821, which is partıyor result of the consequenc-
es of the French Revolution, brought along other important effects;
288
it created a new ideological background and stretched the emer-
gence of new progressive social and political elements among the
Greek people, which undertook the difficult task to prepare the na-
tion for its political emancipation. The works of Adamentios Ko-./
zaos From Hios perhabs the greatest Hellenic schoolar and thinker
hefore 1821, who lived in Paris during those decisive years, are
strongly influenced by the spirit of the French revolution and have
immensly contributed both to the formation of Modern Greek Lan-
guage and to help the Greek people he acquainted to their brillant
dassical past.
Another typical and may he more effectiye example of the in-
fluence of the revolution among the progressive paJ1 of preindepen-
dent Hellenic intelligentsia is Rhigas Phezaios a natiye of Thessaly
& Rhigas was the first to coursive a concrete and elaborated plan
for a democratically based Balkan confederacy, in which all citiz-
ens would enjoy equal rights regardless of religious or race. His po-
litical constitution was inspired by the principles of the correspond-
ing in France and his proposed anthem (Thourios) derived from
popular French revolutionary verses. His plans to organize a multi-
national revolutionary movement, which V'{ouldinvolve the whole
of the Balkan peninsula, were connected with the ideological frame
and the political powers of revolutionary France. It was not by
chance that in the same printing office. in Veinna, who se his propa-
ganda pamplets were printed, the firt Hellenic newspaper was also
published, the artides of which expressed an open acceptance of
the doctrines vowed by the French Revolution. Rhigar himself had
repeatedly attempted to get in touch with Napoleon, in order to de-
mand moral and material assistance to his plans, but was failed.
The French emperor, however, perhabs within his plans in future
military enterprices in the East, attempted some indirect contacts
with certain prominent Greeks in Manisouthern Pelopenese- which
were also fruitles.s. It goes without trying that the draftconstitution.
desingned by Rhigar Phezaios was openly condemned by the Greek
higher elergy, for it was full of rottennes hecause of its muddy
thoughts which are contrary to the doctrines of our Orthodox faith.
Undoubdetly the founders of the Philiki Etaizia (Society of
, Friends), the secret organization which prepared the Greek Revolu-
tion in 1821, were memhers of the reemerged Hellenic bourgesie
and most of them had an under the influence of the French Revolu-
tion. N. Skonfar was well acquainted with Rhigar Phezaios plans;
289
among theother leaders E. Xanthos, a free mason himself, direct
relations with French Officials during his early stay in the lonian
Islands, while A. Tsakalof, bom in lonnina, had spend much of his
early life as a student in Paris. It must also be mentioned that in
Tzarist Russia where the Filiki Etaizia was founded in 1814- the
progressive ideology created by the French Revolution had been
weel received by members of the progressive section of the nıssian
mobility, froin which the reform movement of the Decabzrists
broke out in 1825. Recent historical research in the Soviet Union,
has proved that there were frequent and essential contacts between
them and leading elements of ~hePhiliki Etaizia.
it was mainly di.ıe to the lack of adequate comminication and
the predominant illiteracy which some how hampered, as aıready
mentioned, the great mass of the Greeks to embrace in a wider de-
gree the new, full of hopes, social reality which the French Revolu-
tion directly or indirectly imposed in most parts of Europe. Gradu-
ally however from the second decade of the 19th century, and even
after the reactiQnary wave which the notorious holly Alliance im-
posed in most part s of the European continent in 1815, began to ap-
pe ar within the Balkans the first elements of the influence of the
newly formed social concept, which were inspired by the principles
of Fratemity, Equality, Liberty and the rights of the free citizen. In
this formation of modem political and social teories, the emergence
of contemporary literature, the beginning ot new economic transac-
tion s the spreading of new philosofic ideas, the improvement of the
education system and in general all aspects of social life in preinde-
pe nde nt Greece were profoundly marked by the French Revolution,
rightly Theodoros Kolokotzonis, a prominent leader of the Greek
war of Independence, had commented that this great event "had
opened up the eyes of the people". Of course on e could observe
that the Greek Revolution- and the french in certain ways- failed to
fulfill its socio evonomic aims, and this is today widely accepted as
possibly unavoidable. However the most important result was that
. the political anticipation of the Greeks prepared the way for an
even harder and painful stnıggle in order to 'end the social unjus-
tice; İn that endless war nothing is -or can be- lost.
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