Public Safety, Committee of
- Public Safety, Committee of
-
French Comité De Salut Public,
political body of the
French Revolution that gained virtual dictatorial control over France during the Reign of Terror (September 1793 to July 1794).
The Committee of Public Safety was set up on April 6, 1793, during one of the crises of the Revolution, when France was beset by foreign and civil war. The new committee was to provide for the defense of the nation against its enemies, foreign and domestic, and to oversee the already existing organs of executive government. The members of the committee, at first numbering 9 and later increased to 12, were elected by the National Convention (representative assembly) for a period of one month and were eligible for reelection.
From April to July 10, 1793, the Committee of Public Safety was dominated by Georges Danton (
Danton, Georges) and his followers, who pursued a policy of moderation and reconciliation but who failed to deal adequately with the precarious military situation. These men were replaced in July by men more determined and more radical in the defense of the Revolution, among them Maximilien Robespierre. (
Robespierre, Maximilien de)
From September 1793 to July 1794, the Committee of Public Safety was composed of the same men (with the exception of Marie-Jean Hérault de Séchelles, who was guillotined in April 1794), and it controlled France, dominating the National Convention and relying on the support of the Jacobins (radical democrats). Under its direction, harsh measures were taken against the alleged enemies of the Revolution, the economy was placed on a wartime basis, and mass conscription was undertaken. While decisions were taken in common, the members of the committee specialized in different areas:
Robespierre, Georges Couthon, and Louis de Saint-Just (called the Triumvirate) specialized in general political matters, Lazare Carnot in military affairs, and Robert Lindet in supplies.
Dissension within the committee contributed to the downfall of Robespierre in July 1794, after which the Committee of Public Safety waned in importance; its powers were strictly limited to the areas of diplomacy and war.
* * *
Universalium.
2010.
Look at other dictionaries:
Committee of Public Safety — For other uses, see Committee of Public Safety (disambiguation). Comité de Salut Public, 1794. Anonymous French print, 18th century. The Committee of Public Safety (French: Comité de salut public), created in April 1793 by the National Convention … Wikipedia
Committee of Public Safety (disambiguation) — Committee of Public Safety may refers to: the Committee of Public Safety proclaimed during the French Revolution the Committee of Public Safety proclaimed by General Salan during the Algiers putsch of 1958 Committee of Public Safety, a fictional… … Wikipedia
Public safety — involves the prevention of and protection from events that could endanger the safety of the general public from significant danger, injury/harm, or damage, such as crimes or disasters (natural or man made).Core public safety servicesFrontline… … Wikipedia
Public Safety Employer-Employee Cooperation Act of 2007 — Infobox U.S. legislation titlename=Public Safety Employer Employee Cooperation Act of 2007 fullname=To provide collective bargaining rights for public safety officers employed by States or their political subdivisions. acronym=Public Safety… … Wikipedia
Committee for Health, Social Services and Public Safety — Northern Ireland This article is part of the series: Politics and government of Northern Ireland … Wikipedia
Public Safety Canada — Departments of the Government of Canada Public Safety Sécurité publique et Protection civile … Wikipedia
Committee of Public Safety — Political body of the French Revolution that controlled France during the Reign of Terror. It was set up in April 1793 to defend France against its enemies, foreign and domestic. At first it was dominated by Georges Danton and his followers, but… … Universalium
COMMITTEE OF PUBLIC SAFETY — a committee of nine created by the French Convention, April 6, 1793, to concentrate the power of the executive, the conscience of Marat, who could see salvation in one thing only, in the fall of 260,000 aristocrats heads ; notable, therefore,… … The Nuttall Encyclopaedia
Alaska Public Safety Commissioner dismissal — The Alaska Public Safety Commissioner dismissal, also known as Troopergate,[1] involves the July 2008 dismissal of the Public Safety Commissioner for the State of Alaska by Governor Sarah Palin. On October 10, 2008, the twelve member Alaska… … Wikipedia
Department of Health, Social Services and Public Safety — Northern Ireland This article is part of the series: Politics and government of Northern Ireland … Wikipedia
