What were the Demerits of the Work of the National Assembly of France during the reign of Louis XVI

Though the National Assembly had worked with great enthusiasm and fervour and framed a constitution within its working period, the following demerits were noticed at the time of its execution:

1. Declaration of the Rights of Man was impractical. Many rights among the declared ones could not be given to the public.

2. It was not proper to divide the citizens into two categories: (i) active citizen, and (ii) inactive citizen. It deprived a large number of people of the right of voting.

3. The legislative and the executive were separated from each other. The ministers of the king were not entitled to be the members of the Legislative Assembly.

The king had no right to dissolve the Assembly. Thus the legislature and the executive were not helpful to each other but strictly opposed to each other.

4. The entire France was divided into 83 departments, but no step was taken to establish interrelations among them.

5. It was improper to appoint a judge by election. They failed to dispense justice fearlessly.

6. The Assembly encouraged the mob rule. It proved to be a very dangerous principle.

7. The principle of decentralisation was enforced in such a way as it loosened the local-self administration.

8. The Civil Constitution of the clergy created religious struggle in the country, and France was split into two.

9. No member of the Legislative Assembly had a right to contest the election more than once in his lifetime. So every year the inexperienced persons thronged it.

10. Two years’ period was allotted to the Legislative Assembly which was too short to complete its programme for Legislative Assembly.

11. It encouraged steps towards the welfare of the middle class but it did not prove beneficial for the commoners.

12. It gave no encouragement to the national education.

13. It annoyed all the classes, viz., the commoners, the priests and the feudal lords by its actions.

The National Assembly after framing a constitution for the country passed a self-denying ordinance on 30th September 1791 and dissolved itself. Robertson has also remarked:

“On September 30th, 1791, Touret from the chair declared the sittings over, the Assembly dispersed amid cheers for the king, country and freedom.”

Prof. C. D. Hazen has also written in this context: “In the constitution of 1791, the French administration government was reformed. But the reforms could not prove useful and practical.

Therefore, these could not remain stable. As an act of self abnegation, it was really significant, but it reflects upon the inexperience of the people, and it betrays a lack of balance and judgment on the part of legislators.

Consequently, it proved detrimental to the future of the country, and many impediments were faced subsequently.”