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How did the Committee of Public Safety govern France during the Reign of Terror?
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Maximilien Robespierre
One of the leading figures of the French Revolution, Maximilien Robespierre.
During the Reign of Terror (September 1793–July 1794), the Committee of Public Safety functioned as a parliamentary dictatorship, exercising virtual dictatorial control over France to defend the French Revolution against internal and external threats.12
The Committee governed through several key mechanisms:
- Centralization of Power: Under the Law of 14 Frimaire, the Committee centralized authority, gaining oversight of local administrators, revolutionary committees, and tribunals. It dominated the National Convention and relied on the Jacobin network to monitor public opinion and enforce policy.21
- Wartime Mobilization: The Committee placed the economy on a wartime basis, implemented mass conscription, and managed military policy to secure the nation’s frontiers.12
- Suppression of Dissent: To maintain "one single will," the Committee ruthlessly eliminated perceived enemies, including moderate "indulgents" and radical "ultrarevolutionaries". The Law of 22 Prairial further streamlined this process by denying the accused the right to legal assistance, leaving juries only the options of acquittal or death.32
While members specialized in areas like military affairs or supplies, Maximilien Robespierre and his closest allies directed general political matters until their downfall in July 1794.1