Ideological legacy
The most significant legacy of the French Revolution was ideological
This included the declaration of the rights of man and the citizen, which is a statement of principles rather than a legal constitution made on 26th August 1789.
This declaration along with the phrase liberty, equality and fraternity could be seen as the basis of modern day liberty and democracy in Europe
The Revolution also defined the ideologies of liberalism, socialism and conservatism.
The ‘sans-culottes’ group held very liberalist attitudes, including a strong belief in the equality of rights and opportunities
Conservatism on the other hand, was demonstrated in the ‘counter-revolution’ among the strong Catholics who opposed to the reduction of the Churches power, and monarchists who believed in an autocratic state.
Political legacy
One of the biggest changes was found within the realm of political ideas
The move away from autocracy influenced more rational political ideas, including more focus on democracy, as the tiers etat despite making up 98% of the French population had the minority of political power and influence in the country.
This encouraged them to sit on the left wing of politics and advocate social equality, whereas the nobility, monarchists and Catholic conservatives sat on the right wing, dividing France and polarising politics.
Another legacy of the revolution is in the institutions set up under Napoleon as Emperor. Le consulat put in place centralised institutions in order to modernise France, including the reorganisation of the state and the police, and this is the basis of modern day French centralised institutions.
During the French Revolution, a constitutional system was set up. The French Constitution of 1793 was drafted by