Danton, Georges Jacques (1759-94), French lawyer, radical

but pragmatic leader of the French Revolution, whose

willingness to compromise was rejected by rival factions.

Born in the small town of Arcis on October 28, 1759, Danton

received a good education and became a lawyer. Moving to
Paris, he started on the road to success by a happy marriage
that brought him a wealthy father-in-law. He obtained a large
loan to buy a prestigious legal position and settled down to a
pleasant life. When the French Revolution began in 1789, he
entered local politics with enthusiasm, leading the Cordelier
Club, a spearhead of Parisian radicalism. His speeches were
often violent, but his actions were usually cautious. Generous,
friendly, and ideologically flexible, Danton was also widely
suspected of taking bribes from Royalists in 1791.

Elected to a minor city post late that year, he achieved real

prominence only with the fall of the monarchy in August 1792.
As a minister in the provisional government, he demanded and
inspired the "audacity" that alone would save revolutionary
France from its enemies. Elected to the National Convention,
he was immediately attacked by the moderate deputies known
as the Girondins, who considered him a dangerous radical and
rival. Danton tried to conciliate these opponents, but his
efforts were rebuffed; the conflict was resolved by the downfall
of the Girondins in June 1793. Danton, meanwhile, served on
the Committee of Public Safety, the executive organ of the
French Republic, but his attempt to end France's war with the
European monarchies by diplomacy failed dismally. Eventually,
his ally, Maximilien Robespierre, emerged as the central figure
of the committee.
 By 1794 the Republic's leadership was torn apart by new
factional conflicts and by charges of corruption and treason.
Again, Danton sought compromise among the factions, but his
own sympathy was clearly with those seeking to ease the
repression and terror ("indulgents"). His position was
undermined, however, by the corruption and intrigue of his
friends. Reluctantly, Robespierre concluded that the
government's unity could be maintained only by removing
both the extreme radicals and the "indulgents," including
Danton. In a trial before the Revolutionary Tribunal, Danton
lost both his life and his reputation, going to the guillotine on
April 5, 1794. To some historians he was a realist who was
never misled by ideological fervor. Others see him, as
Robespierre did, as an opportunist who threatened the
Revolution's integrity.

Contributed By:
Isser Woloch
1

1"Danton, Georges Jacques," Microsoft® Encarta® Encyclopedia 99. © 1993-1998

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