The French Revolution in 1789 marked a turning point in the formation of national identity and the concept of the nation-state. Prior to the revolution, France was under the rule of an absolute monarchy. Sovereignty resided with the monarch, who governed a territory with a population subjected to varying laws and customs. The revolution changed this dramatically.

Transfer Of Sovereignty

The French Revolution transferred sovereignty from the monarch to the people. It asserted that the ‘nation’ was a community of citizens, and sovereignty lay with this collective body. This was a radical shift from monarchy to a form of republicanism, where the people had the power to shape the nation’s destiny.

Creation Of Collective Identity

The French revolutionaries took several measures to instill a sense of collective identity among the French people. The introduction of terms like la patrie (the fatherland) and le citoyen (the citizen) emphasised this new concept of a unified nation-state where people enjoyed equal rights under a constitution.

Symbols And Institutions

The revolution brought new symbols like the tricolour flag to replace the former royal standard. It established the National Assembly as a body representing the French citizens, thereby diluting the concept of Estates General which was linked to the old social hierarchy. New hymns, oaths, and commemorations served as rituals that helped cement this sense of nationhood.