Abbey Sieyes (1748-1836)

Influence French Revolution

Biography• Abbey Sieyes was born in Frejus in

the south of France, and was educated by the Roman Catholic Church

• He was influenced by John Locke, Étienne Bonnot de Condillac, the Encyclopédistes and other revolutionary thinkers.

• He was a talented member of the third estate who had risen as far he could based on birth

• Despite the new ideas of enlightenment from the 1750’s he was ordered to stay in the priesthood

Involvement in Revolution• Abbey Sieyes was elected a deputy of the third estate, in

which he played a key role in the first months of the revolution

• He proposed the name of the National Assembly and on June 17 he drew up the idea for the ‘tennis court oath’

• Participated in the writing of the Declaration of the Rights of Man and Citizen and the constitution of 1791

• He was played a part in the upbringing of ‘Declaration of Rights of Man’

• He produced 3 pamphlets during the French Revolution, the most notable was Qu'est-ce que le tiers état? [What is the third estate?]

Sieyès’s Pamphlet

• The contributions of Sieyès’s pamphlet, "The Third Estate," was vital to the revolutionary thought that projected France towards the French Revolution.

• In his pamphlet he outlined the desires and frustrations of the alienated class of people that made up the third estate.

“What is the third estate? Everything. What has in been hitherto in the political order? Nothing. What does it desire? To be something”

Key Ideas• His main idea in the pamphlet “What is the third

estate” was the idea of national sovereignty, popular sovereignty and representation of the 3rd Estate

• Sieyes opposed the right of "absolute veto" for the king

• He advocated the formation of the National Assembly

• He expressed the idea of national sovereignty and representation

• He made a distinction between active and passive citizens of France

The influence of his ideas

• The most significant influence of Sieyès’s pamphlet was on the structural concerns that developed surrounding the gathering of the Estates general.

• His idea was essentially the rally cry for the third estate, as it brought the third estates frustrations and grievances into motion, which were brought to the forefront in the Estates General.

Influence on France

•Sieyes called into question the role of the aristocracy, portraying their role as foreign to the nation of France.

•He reversed social perception of the third estate in France, it was no longer looked down upon, but considered the

Influence of French Revolution• Perhaps most significant was the influence of Sieyès’s

pamphlet on the structural concerns that developed surrounding the gathering of the Estates general.

• Sieyes reversed years of social perception of the third estate, by stating that the 3rd estate was the economic power of France and the 1st and 2nd estates served no purpose what so ever.

• The pamphlet lead to greater confidence in the 3rd estates role of France, which encouraged the bourgeoisie to form the National Assembly

Hungry, Material Grievances from 3rd estate

Enlightenment ideas from 1750’s

plus Lack of social influence, under Ancien Regime

Heavy taxes on 3rd estate

Sieyes crystallized 3rd estate’s grievances and criticized role of aristocracy (January 1789)

Change social perception of 3rd estate

plusCalling of estates general (1st May, 1789)

He advocated the formation of National Assembly

N.A symbolized power to people

Uprising of Sans Culottes (storming of Bastille)

The Great Fear (peasant movement