Robespierre's Justification for State Terror

Robespierre’s Justification for State Terror Maximilien Robespierre states, “What is the goal toward which we are heading? The peaceful enjoyment of liberty and equality.” (Bienvenu, p. 1, para.1) The laws that have been passed by the royalty that are meant to bring long lasting righteousness, are laws that are recognized; these laws are not written any where but in the essence of all individuals. Robespierre was elected as the representative of the National Convention and joined a political club called the radical Jacobin party. Being apart of the Convention and the Jacobins, Robespierre took over the administrative power of the Republic. Because the Jacobins believed that France was in need of change and restructuring, and Robespierre was now the head of the Convention, he can develop such change. By doing so he argues that in the land, the use of ethics must be replaced with the use of pride, proposition for traditions, self-regard for arrogance, magnificence for narcissism, prestige for money, and immorality of the sovereign for virtues and the phenomenon. He believed in democracy and the Republic of virtue. He felt that in order to set the basis of democracy within the people, the merge of both ending the war of independence and oppression must take place in order to put an end to the revolt. The essences of the Republic are virtue and equality. He explains how it is the development of virtue and the maintenance of equality that creates the Republic. Therefore, it is embraced or founded by an individual. He believed that the quality of being an admired government would be an advantage in gaining the trust of the citizens in order to create a strict and rigorous government, “…be trustful towards the people and severe towards itself.” (Bienvenu, p. 2, para. 2) Robespierre states the strengths and weaknesses of this theory: the strength being the triumph of truth rather than dishonesty, and the rights of the community’s interests than the private. The purpose