Phase 2 DB The reason why Louis XVI ended up having his head cut off, is because, right to the very end, he could not elevate himself above his class prejudices. He could have easily avoided being executed, had he acted in responsible manner. First of all, he should have dealt very harshly with the newspapers that used to place kings caricatures on their pages, thus undermining his respect among people. The problem with Louis XVI was that he strived to enjoy undisputed political authority, while failing to realize that it required an effort, on his part. He allowed the revolutionary ideas to brew within French society, while he could have simply put an end to this process, by arresting the leaders of rebellion. Louis XVI life would be spared if he did not actively seek to overthrow the Republican government with the mean of foreign invasion. Only this made people to think of their monarch as traitor and to demand his death.
Louis XVI could have stumped out the revolutionary ideas in France at the very beginning, or he could have stepped down as an absolute monarch, while recognizing the authority of National Convent. In both cases, his life would not be endangered even slightly. Instead, Louis XVI had chosen the worst possible way to deal with growing discontent among people he declared that he would not even consider limiting his powered, while not doing anything actively. This only increased anti-monarchist sentiment within French society, at the time. Finally, Louis XVI could have saved his life if he acted in royal manner. He could have easily left revolutionary Paris if he continued to behave like a king. Instead, he attempted to leave Paris incognito, while being dressed in womens clothing. This, of course, did not add him much of a respect. Louis XVI has always been a king of nobility, who did not care much about ordinary people.
The Essay on To What Extent Was Louis XVI Responsible For The Revolution In France From 1789 To 1792?
The French revolution took place in France from 1789 to 1792, during the reign of King Louis XVI. It was an expression of discontent from the poor towards the rich, and of how they thought France was governed unfairly. The revolution is considered one of the most important events in human history, as it has continued to shape societies and the ways we live today (Cody, 2008). Through examining ...
If he could only manage to publicly express his concern for them, he would never be put to death. Louis XVI was too narrow-minded to understand that winning peoples support is not that hard at all, while in time of social tribulations, only this can save a king from angry revolutionaries.
Bibliography:
Louis XVI of France. 2007. Wikipedia. Retrieved May 10, 2007 from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Louis_XVI_of_France Abstract: This paper analyses how Louis XVI could have saved his life during the time of French revolution.
Outline: Louis XVI historical alternative P.1.
