Great Fear

20 July – 5 August 1789

A period of widespread panic and unrest in rural France.

The Great Fear refers to a period occurring during the summer of 1789, marked by a wave of peasant revolts and widespread paranoia about the nobility's plans to suppress the revolutionary movement. Following the storming of the Bastille on 14 July 1789, rumors spread across the countryside that aristocrats were hiring mercenaries to attack peasants. This led to violent uprisings, with peasants attacking chateaux, burning feudal documents, and seizing grain. The fear was exacerbated by the economic crises of the time, including food shortages and rising prices, which contributed to the sense of instability and desperation among the rural populace.

Date

20 July – 5 August 1789

Location

Rural France

Timeline

The Great Fear began among the peasants in France.
Rumors spread that the nobility were planning to suppress the revolution.
Peasants began attacking manor houses and seizing grain.
The National Assembly worked to address the unrest.
The Great Fear contributed to the abolition of feudal privileges.

The Great Fear (La Grande Peur) was a period of panic and riot by peasants and others amid rumors of an aristocratic conspiracy. It occurred in 1789, during the summer months, specifically from 20 July to 6 August. The rural unrest started due to the economic and social instability following the initial events of the French Revolution.

Rumors spread across the French countryside that royalist forces or brigands hired by the aristocracy would attack peasant communities. These rumors were fueled by the collapse of local authorities (amid the broader breakdown of the old feudal society) as well as general fears of famine. Reports of such attacks would quicken the spread of panic from one village to another, creating what came to be known as the Great Fear.

Peasants responded by arming themselves and attacking manor houses. They aimed to destroy records of feudal dues and obligations (which were stored in the châteaux) as well as to seize grain and other resources. Their actions were both a protest against feudal exploitations and a preemptive strike against supposed brigands. In some cases, properties of the nobility were looted and burned.

The nobility, fearing the rising violence and social unrest, would often flee their properties. Some sought refuge in towns while others left the country altogether, joining the growing group of émigrés. This exodus of the nobility further destabilized the existing social order.

The results of the Great Fear were significant: it pushed the National Constituent Assembly to take more radical steps. On the night of 4 August 1789, in a historic session, feudal privileges and the serfdom system were formally abolished. This decree marked a fundamental change in French society and signaled the end of feudal relations, transforming the structure of the nation.

Thus, the Great Fear, though sparked by panic and rumors, contributed directly to the revolutionary changes in France by leading to the formal dissolution of feudalism. Peasants' actions, driven by survival and justice, had a lasting impact on the evolving Revolution.

Did you know?

The Great Fear (La Grande Peur) swept through France in the summer of 1789, fueled by rumors of aristocratic plots to suppress the revolution.
Amidst widespread panic, peasants armed themselves, leading to a significant number of rural revolts against feudal lords between July and August 1789.
This mass hysteria was exacerbated by the burning of châteaux (castles) and the destruction of feudal documents, ultimately challenging the very foundations of the ancien régime (old order).
A notable outcome of the Great Fear was the National Assembly's decision to abolish feudal privileges on 4 August 1789, radically altering land ownership and class structures in France.
The Great Fear coincided with the storming of the Bastille on 14 July 1789, highlighting the intense atmosphere of fear and uncertainty that defined the early stages of the revolution.