"AUX ARMES CITOYENS"

“Aux armes, citoyens” *

According to the Oxford Dictionary, a myth is “a story from ancient times, especially one that was told to explain natural events or to describe the early history of a people”. It thus supposes that a myth is imaginary and can be used to explain historical gaps for instance, but History itself contains its own myths. Because of its highly subjective way of being told, some historical events have been magnified throughout the centuries, until they reached a mythical status. One such event could be the French Revolution of 1789 – nowadays considered a major event in History-, because of how it is tightly related to French identity and to the way France perceive itself as a country. But we can wonder if this event has not been distorted and told in a way that deprives it of its accuracy. In that manner, we can consider it more of a complex national myth, whose interpretation is maybe not that close to reality, despite its undeniable importance.

According to Alfred Cobban, a Professor of French History at University College in London. According to him the Revolution did not actually lead to a new social order, the bourgeoisie just replaced the nobles . In this regard, the way the French Revolution is told is a myth: an interpretation not in accordance with reality.

Nevertheless, the events of 1789 have a symbolic importance and carry great power. If History might have been sometimes “betrayed”, it does not matter when compared to the strong values driven by the Revolution myth. It has been built so that we think of it as the ultimate symbol of our values. It is supposed to mirror our national motto, “Liberty, Equality, Fraternity”. And our national holiday corresponds to the most symbolic day of the Revolution: the take of the Bastille prison, on July 14th. When reading the famous History of the French Revolution (1847) by French historian Jules Michelet, what is emphasized is the spontaneous action of the mob, allowing the oppressed to be on the political stage. It is told as a Revolution made by the people for the people, and as a story of how the downtrodden of France gained their own freedom.

The Revolution embodies Republican ideas: equality of rights for every citizen and the sharing of wealth. Because it lead to the constitution of the Declaration of the Rights of Man and of the Citizens (1789), it became the paradigm for democracy. France takes a great pride in being responsible for a major impact on the development of liberty and democracy in Europe and worldwide, and today political leaders still allude to the Revolution in their speeches.

The Revolution of 1789 is also supposed to be a symbol of the nation's unity. This is why as soon as 1790, July 14^th became the French national holiday. Even though the Revolution was a clear signal for important class conflicts, it has been chosen as an emblem for class reunification.

1789 also refers to a time of Enlightenment. Many historians agreed to say that the influence of philosophers such as Rousseau, Voltaire or Montesquieu, has truly change how people used to think. At the core of French identity, this strong literary and intellectual tradition is deeply rooted. It is impossible for someone in the French educational system not to have heard those names and not know about their writing.

As we have just seen, the Revolution of 1789 had a tremendous impact on French identity. This myth has a wide variety of values: from political to social and even cultural ideals, but behind all these bright and fair principles, some harsh truths also lay . France can claim itself to be the country who brought democracy to Europe, but that does not change the fact that today those values are at stake and are often violated. But even if the myth does not suit reality, and the values conveyed are not respected, it should not mean we abandon those values. And this is what this myth is here for.

* “Aux armes citoyens” is a lyric from the French National Anthem “La Marseillaise” and means “To arms, citizens”