This day in 1791 marked the last session of the Constituent Assembly during the French Revolution. The Assembly was first formed in 1789, at the very beginning of the Revolution (at the same time as the attack on Bastille). The Constituent Assembly was the most responsible for abolishing the feudal system in France (the so-called Ancien Régime). Among other things, it abolished the nobility and introduced the equality of all citizens before the law.
One of the most well-known members of the Constituent Assembly was Maximilien Robespierre. It was at his suggestion that the Constituent Assembly passed an act according to which its members were banned from being elected to the future French parliament. Politicians generally pass such acts very rarely and usually strive to enact the exact opposite laws so as to guarantee themselves a comfortable future.
Robespierre was nicknamed “The Incorruptible” (Fr. L’Incorruptible).The Constituent Assembly even addressed him by this epithet at its last session. Robespierre’s act was rigidly adhered to, which led to the unusual situation when most of the Legislative Assembly members were inexperienced people. Later “The Incorruptible” also introduced a reign of terror to France; while being perhaps personally impeccable, Robespierre was also utterly merciless towards his opponents.
