(June 23, 2015 at 1:55 pm)FatAndFaithless Wrote: Er...I wouldn't use the French Revolution as an example of a good application of liberalism...the years following the revolution were horrifying.
The years preceding it were horrifying for the common people. That is why there was a revolution. And however nasty it was, it was a step in the direction of the modern state of France, which is a vastly better country than it was under its oppressive monarchy. The French today celebrate the overthrow of the monarchy. And they are right to.
To use a trite old saying, you can't make an omelet without breaking some eggs. Or I could use another trite saying, desperate times call for desperate measures.
But yes, you are right, that some pretty nasty things happened in and immediately following the French revolution. Revolutions commonly involve a good amount of nastiness, which is why they should be considered "last resort" sorts of efforts. But they needed a change from their oppressive government, and heads needed to roll. The rich elites treatment of the poor was asking for it, and they eventually got it.
Vive la France!
"A wise man ... proportions his belief to the evidence."
— David Hume, An Enquiry Concerning Human Understanding, Section X, Part I.
