The Growth of Nationalism — Question 6

(a) The Role of French monarchy:

1. The French administration was marked by nepotism. There was no system of Elections.
2. The king held himself as the representative of the God on Earth. He enjoyed absolute power and his will was the law.
3. High posts were given to Nobles and aristocrats who were not conscious of their duties.
4. There was no uniform system of laws in the country. Punishments were rigorous and biased.
5. The aristocrats were not punished for certain crimes.
6. Common people hardly had any share in the administration.

(b) Significance of the French Revolution — The French Revolution not only influenced France but also left an indelible impression on Europe and the whole world.

1. The ideals of the Revolution — liberty, equality, fraternity and democracy — brought about a political awakening in Europe and later become popular all over the world.
2. It awakened the spirit of nationalism, which paved the way for the unification of Germany and Italy.
3. It popularised the concept of democracy and led to the emergence of constitutional monarchy in many countries in place of absolute monarchy.
4. It separated religion from politics and stood for secularism.