Abstract

The purpose of this essay is to consider Robespierre’s ideas of people and government, under a conceptual history point of view. Robespierre, like Rousseau, tries to find out how the command can be really political: Government as guide, as cure, as direction for the political body opposed to the absolute monarchy’s despotic rule and opposed to the Feuillants’ and Girondists’ concept of representation. These conditions are established with one consent between people and government, which can be achieved by a strong homogeneous society. Robespierre’s thought achieves an affinity of ideas with Boulainvilliers’ historical and political thought, who represents the XVII-XVIII century aristocratic resistence’s voice against the monarchy. Robespierre substitutes the Nation of Franks, which was founded thanks to the ancient conqueror race’s blood, with the “Race Renouvelée” through virtue and terror. So Robespierre takes inspiration from the Christian pastoral tradition. He infers that the mystic union between people and government is possible only through a sort of ascetic purification, which can get rid of heresy