Editing Political history of France (section)

===Societal conditions===

The French Revolution was a period of radical political and societal change in [[France]] that began with the [[Estates General of 1789]] and ended with the formation of the [[French Consulate]] in [[coup of 18 Brumaire|November 1799]]. Many of its ideas are considered fundamental principles of [[liberal democracy]],{{sfn|Livesey|2001|p=19}} while the values and institutions it created remain central to French political discourse.{{sfn|Fehér|1990|pp=117–130}}

Its [[Causes of the French Revolution|causes]] are generally agreed to be a combination of social, political and economic factors, which the ''[[Ancien Régime]]'' proved unable to manage. In May 1789, widespread social distress led to the [[convocation]] of the [[Estates General of 1789|Estates General]], which was converted into a [[National Assembly (French Revolution)|National Assembly]] in June. Continuing unrest culminated in the [[Storming of the Bastille]] on 14 July, which led to a series of radical measures by the Assembly, including the [[Abolition of feudalism in France|abolition of feudalism]], the imposition of state control over the [[Catholic Church in France]], and extension of the right to vote.

The next three years were dominated by the struggle for political control, exacerbated by [[economic depression]] and [[civil disorder]]. [[Habsburg monarchy|Austria]], [[Kingdom of Great Britain|Britain]], [[Kingdom of Prussia|Prussia]] and other external powers sought to restore the ''Ancien Régime'' by force, while many French politicians saw war as the best way to unite the nation and preserve the revolution by exporting it to other countries. These factors resulted in the outbreak of the [[French Revolutionary Wars]] in April 1792, [[Proclamation of the abolition of the monarchy|abolition of the French monarchy]] and proclamation of the [[French First Republic]] in September 1792, followed by the [[execution of Louis XVI]] in January 1793.

Following the [[Paris]]-based [[Insurrection of 31 May – 2 June 1793]] the constitution was suspended and effective political power passed from the [[National Convention]] to the more radical [[Committee of Public Safety]]. An estimated 16,000 "counter-revolutionaries" were executed during the subsequent [[Reign of Terror]], which ended with the so-called [[Thermidorian Reaction]] in July 1794. Weakened by a combination of external threats and internal opposition, in November 1795 the Republic was replaced by the [[French Directory|Directory]]. Four years later in November 1799, the [[French Consulate|Consulate]] seized power in a [[Coup of 18 Brumaire|military coup]] led by [[Napoleon]] Bonaparte. This is generally seen as marking the end of the Revolutionary period.