France . ers into opposition ; it com-mitted the Government of toleration and freedom to acareer of persecution, and drove the devout King to hisfinal act of folly, when he had at last been compelled toconsent to the Civil Constitution. This Constitution,drawn up gradually between 1789 and 1791, amidststormy debates and terrible incidents, was introducedby a Declaration of the Eiights of Man, to balance theabolition of privilege and absolutism (August 26, 1789). Based on the works of the Abbe Siey^, the new Con-stitution consisted of a single chamber, absolute in legisla-tion, and selected on
France . ers into opposition ; it com-mitted the Government of toleration and freedom to acareer of persecution, and drove the devout King to hisfinal act of folly, when he had at last been compelled toconsent to the Civil Constitution. This Constitution,drawn up gradually between 1789 and 1791, amidststormy debates and terrible incidents, was introducedby a Declaration of the Eiights of Man, to balance theabolition of privilege and absolutism (August 26, 1789). Based on the works of the Abbe Siey^, the new Con-stitution consisted of a single chamber, absolute in legisla-tion, and selected on a low but not universal King remained as a figurehead. The administrativescheme embodied the ideas of Rousseau. Extreme demo-cratic decentralization was secured by entrusting aU realpower to municipal or village councils. The historicprovinces were abolished, and eighty departments sub-stituted. These were divided up into 44,000 communes—44,000 sovereign assemblies ! Such a nightmare of de-. Aug. Kischgitz. ]\r.\ DE LA FAYETTE. PaffCS 33G//. Died 1834. Fvum the 2ncture by Court at Versaifles. THE MARCH TO VERSAILLES 349 centralization was the prelude of an awakening totyranny the most terrible in the history of Europe. Meantime, the King pursued a policy of lamentableindecision. He came to Paris and delivered himself intothe power of the Sansculottes, who had just learnt howto use it; then he returned to Versailles and listened tothe advice of reactionary courtiers. The Flandersregiment was summoned to Versailles to protect theCrown from the threatening forces in Paris. Exasperatedby the summoning of these troops, which seemed tothreaten civil war, and by the news of a royalist demon-stration in the theatre on their arrival, a crowd of famishingmen and women, rendered desperate by famine, marchedout to Versailles, followed by La Fayette with the NationalGuard. They compelled the King, Queen, and Dauphin toreturn to Paris, to make bread cheaper (October 5, 6
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