Thermidorian Reaction
Priya Singh
Chair
Amanda Mier
Chair
GSMUN XX
Delegates,
GSMUN XX
Our World, Our Future
Robin Schwartzkopf
Secretary-General
Harish Tekriwal
Director-General
Isha Gangal
Undersecretary-General
for External
Communications
Jessica Kong
Charge d’Affaires
Parth Kotak
Undersecretary-General
for Logistics
Avery Gagne
Undersecretary-General
for Crisis Simulations
Annie Zhang
Director of Specialized
Agencies
Dharaa Rathi
Director of General
Assemblies
Kiersen Mather
Director of Press and
Publications
Ketty Bai
Director of Charitable
Giving
Andrew McCullough
Director of Technology
Mr. Max Smith
MUN Club Sponsor
Welcome to the Thermidorian Reaction Committee at GSMUN XX! You, as
Thermidorians, must try to restore peace and order to France in the middle of
its chaotic state during the French Revolution. Your chairs, Amanda Mier and
Priya Singh, are very excited to see you debate and solve this tough issue. Before
getting started, your chairs would like to introduce themselves.
Amanda Mier, a Maggie Walker Governor’s School senior, is ecstatic to have the
opportunity to serve as chair for the Thermidorian Reaction Committee. She
served as chair for the UN Women Committee at the previous GSMUN
Conference, and participated in the RichMUNd and VAMUN conferences.
Amanda is also the Feature Editor of the Maggie Walker newspaper, The
Jabberwock, the co-founder of the Maggie Walker Youth Generation Action
chapter, and rows for River City Crew. Amanda enjoys drawing, reading, and
baking enormous batches of cookies.
Priya Singh, a junior at Maggie Walker Governor’s School, is thrilled to chair the
Thermidorian Reaction Committee this year. In the past, she was a crisis worker
for JCC First Intifada at GSMUN XVIII and a chair for the Associations of
Caribbean States last year. She has also attended various conferences such as
RichMUNd, JHUMUNC, and VAMUN. Outside of Model United Nations,
Priya is also the Director of House Committees for Walker Model Congress and
the co-President for the Liberty in North Korea Club. In her free time Priya can
be found playing with her dog, watching various series on Netflix, and spending
time with family and friends.
Now that you know more about your chairs, here are some rules and
expectations for committee. In preparation, first read the committee’s
background guide, and then complete additional research as needed. All
delegates are expected to write a position paper prior to the committee. Position
papers should be written in Chicago Manual Style, with Times New Roman, 12
point font, be double-spaced, and include footnotes/endnotes and a
bibliography. Keep in mind that all position papers should follow Maggie
Walker’s Honor Code Policy; plagiarism will not be tolerated. Position papers
should be turned in to your chairs at the first committee session.
Once again, your chairs can’t wait to meet you and see you debate! We
encourage all delegates to try their best. If you have any questions or concerns,
please email your chairs at [email protected]. See you soon!
Your chairs,
Priya Singh
[email protected]
Amanda Mier
[email protected]
Committee Overview
The Thermidorian Reaction is part of
one of the most important events in
European history: the French Revolution.
Starting in 1789, the French Revolution
disrupted the long-lived European feudal
system. It was staged by members of lower
socioeconomic classes, who felt the
monarchy, aristocracy, and Church were not
addressing the severe social, economic, and
political problems that plagued the country.
Three groups made up France’s feudal
system: the first estate which included the
monarchs and aristocrats, the second estate
which included the clerics, and the third estate
which included the commoners. The third
estate included several peasants who had
gained a higher standard of living and
education during the eighteenth century. With
these improvements, several peasants also
wanted the abolition of the feudal system in
order to purchase land. Moreover, a new class
called the bourgeoisie had emerged within the
third estate. The bourgeoisie consisted of a
new class of merchants, manufacturers, and
professionals. By 1789, this class accumulated
a great amount of wealth and was continuing
to grow. However, the bourgeoisie was
discontent due to their lack of political power.
Furthermore, severe economic
problems upsetted the peasants and
bourgeoisie alike. Hunger and poverty grew
due to population growth and crop failures.
Also, large state expenditures caused by wars
and luxurious spending by the king prompted
the monarchy to raise taxes. The failure of the
monarchy to alleviate hunger while also
levying higher taxes caused strong unrest
among the third estate.
Moreover, the Enlightenment of the
seventeenth century encouraged political and
social reform in France. One major
philosopher of the Enlightenment who
specifically motivated French revolutionaries
was Jean-Jacques Rousseau who encouraged
equality among all. Such ideas led to
discontent over the Estates-General in 1789.
In this meeting, each estate was given only
one vote; even though the third estate
represented 98 percent of France’s
population. In addition, the success of the
American Revolution further encouraged
members of the third estate to start their own
revolution.
The revolution eventually began in
1789 with the formation of the National
Assembly, a group of third estate members
who worked towards the adoption of a
constitution. Later that year, the National
Assembly published the Declaration of the
Rights of Man and Citizen which declared the
National Assembly’s dedication to replace
the Old Regime with a system of
government based on equal opportunity and
popular sovereignty.
After months of unrest and increasing
demands by the people, a constitutional
monarchy was formed on September 3, 1791.
This was the first written constitution in
French history. Under this constitution, the
Legislative Assembly replaced the National
Assembly. The Legislative
Assembly held most of the power in France as
the powers of the monarchy was greatly
limited.
However, there were still demands of
abolition of the monarchy and the creation of
a republic.
Eventually, more unrest caused by
revolutionaries led the monarchy to abdicate
power, and France was declared a republic in
September, 1792. In the republic, the
Legislative Assembly was renamed the
National Convention. Soon after the birth of
the republic, the Girondins (moderates) lost
power as the Jacobins (radicals) took power in
the National Convention. The Jacobins led a
series of radical reforms in France such as deChristianization, abolition of slavery in French
colonies, and even the formation of a new
calendar with no Christian holidays. This
radical group also carried out the Reign of
Terror which led to the execution and
prosecution of several nobles, aristocrats, and
opponents of the Jacobins. In January, 1793,
the Jacobins even guillotined the previous
monarchy, King Louis XVI.
However, backlash arose against the
radical Jacobins. On July 27, 1794
Robespierre, head of the Jacobins, was
guillotined by members of the National
Convention due to fear of Robespierre
becoming a dictator and tyrant. This event
marks the start of the Thermidorian Reaction.
Our committee starts in August, 1794
at the beginning of the Thermidorian
Reaction. At this point the Girondins have
been reinstated in the National Convention;
the White Terror, a period in which radicals
are being executed and prosecuted, has just
begun. In the middle of this chaos, it is the
responsibility of the Thermidorians to create a
stable government that will last for centuries
to come.
Consolidation of Power
Topic Overview
Immediately following the fall of the
Old Regime, socio-political instability arose.
This instability, long simmering beneath the
surface, was rooted in ideological and
economic disparities between the Three
Estates prior to the French Revolution. As a
testament to these issues, there were three
governmental bodies, the National Assembly,
the Legislative Assembly, and the National
Convention, within a four-year period. Under
the National Convention the Committee of
Public Safety was formed. This “Committee”
served as an authoritarian executive
government to generate national “security”
during wartime.
The political tension is also evidenced
by the political fragmentation during the
period. The two most prominent
revolutionary groups were the Girondins and
the Jacobins. The Girondins were,
comparatively, the more moderate and
bourgeois faction of the revolutionaries, while
the
Jacobins were the left-wing faction which was
often viewed as extremists, as the
Montagnards of the
Jacobins supported the increased political
empowerment of the peasants. Within the
National
Convention, the Girondins were, at first, the
dominant party, but they swiftly faced hostility
over perceived conservative party ideologies.
This led to a schism between the Jacobins and
the
Girondins, resulting in the removal of the
Girondins from power in the National
Convention.
The Girondins, along with royalist
sympathizers, were further persecuted during
the Reign of Terror by the Montagnard
Government. The Reign of Terror was
marked by the execution by guillotine of over
17,000 individuals. The Committee of Public
Safety, the executive power during the Reign
of Terror, exercised dictatorial powers under
Maximilien Robespierre and the Jacobin Club.
The committee passed the “Law of Suspects,”
which exhibited the rampant paranoia of
political opposition in the time period.
Current Issues
A primary, if self-explanatory issue,
was that of leadership, as the Reign of Terror
and subsequent Thermidorian Reaction
culminated in the removal of key political
figures. Robespierre, the leader of the
Committee of Public Safety, was arrested by
the leaders of the National
Convention and was executed by guillotine
the day after his arrest, 9 Thermidor. Francois
Hanriot, Louis de Saint-Just, Georges
Couthon, among other leaders, were all
arrested, marking the termination of the Reign
of Terror and leaving a power vacuum in its
stead.
Another prominent issue was the
rampant violence during the Thermidorian
Reaction, such as the White Terror. The
White Terror was a reaction to the Reign of
Terror that entailed the persecution and
murder of Jacobins and Robsepierrists, as well
as suspected sympathizers. Partially caused by
this violence, the new Thermidorian
Government was immensely unpopular, as the
execution of unpopular political figures,
surprisingly, did not create sympathy for the
nascent government. Instead, it created
unpleasant comparisons to the previous
government in regards to fear tactics.
The final issue to be dealt with for a
lasting and strong government is that of
legislation, as there was contradictory
legislation during the time period. For
instance, under the French
Constitution of 1793, the feudal system was
abolished and property rights and the middle
class were protected. This constitution was
very egalitarian and popular, and was quickly
ratified. However, while it was ratified quickly,
it was not implemented swiftly during the
Reign of Terror by the
National Convention given the socio-political
turmoil.
Analysis
For a long lasting and stable
government, reformers should consider all
options. One such option would be to reduce
factions within the revolutionary groups and
ideologies and merge, whether through
compromise or force. A strong central
government could also be reinstated, either
monarchical or dictatorial, for national
security. The political groupings remaining
could also consider utilizing a more stable
democratic model.
In regards to violence, the majority of
the population does not respond well to
violence, and the violence against political
leadership does not directly affect the peasant
population. Thermidorian reformers should
consider terminating the usage of capital
punishment in the prosecution of government
officials. Alternately, more violence could be
justified, as wartime circumstances may create
the need for drastic measures against antirevolutionaries.
Finally, a legislative document should
be constructed that serves as a lasting French
Constitution. This could address structures
such as direct democracies, republics,
constitutional monarchies, absolute
monarchies, dictatorships, egalitarianism, or
any other conceivable political structure.
Questions to Consider
1. What are short term solutions to
remedying the power vacuum
following the Reign of
Terror and White Terror?
2. What are long term solutions to
remedying the power vacuum
following the Reign of Terror and
White Terror?
3. What are the strengths and
weaknesses of the political ideologies
of the different factions?
4. Is compromise a viable strategy/in
reach?
5. What political stratagems can be used
to create a lasting
government/constitution?
References for Further Research
 https://www.britannica.com/event/T
hermidorian-Reaction A helpful
outline for more background on the
time period.
 https://www.britannica.com/topic/C
onstitution-of-1795 An example of
additional French constitutions.
 http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10
.1002/9781118316399.ch22/summary

More information for discussion of
the White Terror
http://westerncivguides.umwblogs.or
g/2011/09/25/jacobins-vs-girondins-
during-the-french-revol ution/ A
more detailed outline of the political
views of the factions.
Rebuilding the Economy and State Finances
Topic Overview
When the New Regime took power, it
still had to handle the severe economic
problems faced by the monarchy, such as
public debt and hunger. The New Regime
took on the public debt of the monarchy
because the debt was mostly owed to
members of the bourgeoisie themselves and
bankers from which they would receive loans
in the future. This deficit was also increasing
as the
New Regime paid for bread subsidies to
alleviate the problem of hunger.
Additionally, high expenditures
resulted from war costs for the French
Revolutionary Wars. The Girondin party were
a driving force in starting these wars. They
wanted to spread ideas of revolutions,
believing that people of states at war with
France would no longer support their own
government and that revolution would be
more secure with support from surrounding
areas. While Jacobins did not exactly support
the war, not many Jacobins openly opposed
the war. With overwhelming support among
the National Convention, France declared war
on Austria in April, 1792, starting the French
Revolutionary Wars. By 1793 Britain, Russia,
Austria, Portugal, Spain,
Sardinia, and Naples, fearful of revolutionaries
replacing their monarchies, formed a coalition
against France. The French army used
weapons and supplies from the Old Regime
to diminish some costs of the wars, but there
was still several expenditures for these wars.
Current Issues
Funding state expenditures, such as
the French Revolutionary Wars, became a big
problem for the New Regime. In 1789 the
National Assembly abolished the tax system
due to unrest over the monarchy’s taxation.
Instead income was generated by auctioning
the Church’s property which was seized by the
National Assembly in 1789. This property was
valued at an estimated two to three billion
livres.
Bonds known assignats were made to
alleviate financial troubles, but they, in fact,
added to France’s economic problems due to
mismanagement. Assignats, first produced in
December 1789, were bonds with a 5 percent
interest rate. The state issued assignats for
people to buy the previous church property
and collected the proceeds. Once assignats
were returned to the State, it was necessary for
them to be destroyed. However, the assignats
eventually became a form of currency in 1790
when their interest rate vanished and the state
stopped destroying assignats that it received
back.
Not only did the state create basically
create its own currency, but hyperinflation
occurred with the assignat. The government
started printing more assignats to cover the
costs of the wars and other state expenditures.
Also, more assignats appeared in the economy
due to forging. Due to the abundance of
assignats, the currency lost 60 percent of its
value between 1790 and 1793. The
hyperinflation was extremely detrimental for
debtors and speculators. Unrest arose across
France due to such inflation. Several people
hoarded their goods as they depreciated in
value every day, and mobs started looting
stores. Despite these terrible effects, the
assignats did partially finance the war effort in
1792.
When the Jacobins took power in the
National Convention, they enforced different
economic regulations to solve some of the
country’s financial trouble. For example, they
set price controls on all goods of “primary
necessity” in September 1793 due to rapid
inflation. Under their legislation the price of a
good could not rise above one-third the price
in 1790. In addition, any industries deemed to
be part of national defense or foreign trade
was put under direct control of the
government to finance the war effort.
Increasing regulations led to a large
bureaucracy which increasingly consumed the
nation’s wealth.
Analysis
Thermidorians, many of which are
merchants and entrepreneurs of the
bourgeoisie, look for a government that
supports business. As a result, most
Thermidorians look to enforce free trade
policies and abolish the economic regulations
created by the Jacobins. In the words of M.
Thibaudeau, a famous Thermidorian, “I know
that when the government attempts to
regulate everything, all is lost.”
Many Thermidorians also look to
abandon the assignat, which is a daunting task.
Some want to replace the assignat with a
different paper currency. In contrast, some
want to abandon paper currency all together
and issue gold coins.
In all, the Thermidorians have crucial
decisions to make about the economy. They
need to alleviate the problem of hunger,
finance the public debt as it increases with
bread subsidies and war costs, and stop
inflation. Throughout this, they must also
keep in mind the values of the bourgeoisie,
such as limited government and little
economic regulation.
Questions to Consider
1. Should France reinstate the tax
system?
2. Should the assignat remain?:
3. What role does the government play
in the economy?
4. How should the government address
the problem of hyperinflation?
5. Should the Thermidorians keep the
Jacobins’ price controls?
6. Where can the government get
additional funding?
7. Should France continue with its war?
8. How can the government solve the
issue of hunger?
9. Should the National Convention
inherit the debts of the Old Regime?
Sources for Additional Research
 https://mises.org/library/inflationand-french-revolution-storymonetary-catastrophe: An article that
further explores France’s economic
problems, especially in regards to the
assignat
 http://www.nbbmuseum.be/en/201
2/02/revolution.htm: More
information on the assignat
 http://alphahistory.com/frenchrevol
ution/law-of-the-maximum/: An
article about the economic
regulations of the Jacobins
Bibliography
De Maré, Laurie. “Assignats: Currency from
the French Revolution.” National
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Accessed August 27, 2016.
http://www.nbbmuseum.be/en/2012
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Ebeling, Richard M. “The Great French
Inflation.” Foundation for Economic
Education. Last modified July 1, 2007.
Accessed August 27, 2016.
https://fee.org/articles/the-great-fren
ch-inflation/.
History.com Staff. “French Revolution.”
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Accessed August 27, 2016.
http://www.history.com/topics/frenc
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https://www.britannica.com/event/F
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https://mises.org/library/inflation-an
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tastrophe.