The French Revolution and the Struggle for Jewish Equality

The French Revolution was meant to lay the foundations for equality and freedom. The ideals of fraternity, equality, and liberty were created to establish a new republic in Europe free from the confines of the old dynasty. These ideals, however, did not adequately incorporate all of France’s citizens. More specifically, the Jews of France were still treated as second-class citizens. Although they represented a small percentage of French society, Jews played pivotal roles in communal decision making. On 28 January 1790, leaders of the Jewish community proposed to the National Assembly a new form of government which gave Jewish citizens the same rights as their Christian counterparts.

One of the first objections made in the petition was the gradual improvement of the Jewish standing in French society over a period of time. Gradual incorporation was seen as a negative proposition because the Jews of France had endured bigotry for so long a period of time. Since such radical change was occurring in France, the Jewish community sought an immediate response to the bigotry they endured. One of the points made in the petition outlined Judaism, “…does not offend the principles of a pure and severe morality…” (95). Furthermore, the petition outlined some of the injustices suffered by Jews in France. They were, “…excluded from all the professions and arts and crafts, deprived even of the right to be heard as witnesses against a Christian…pushed out of certain cities which have the privilege of not receiving them…” (95). Although issues such as money embezzling (usury) was outlines, the overwhelming issue that Christians had against Jews was simply their religion.

It was often argued by anti-Semitic Frenchmen that Jews are often the cause of the negativity they are given. The petition mentions, “…it is not all the degradation and vices with which they are reproached that has attracted the harassment which overwhelm them but rather these harassment's have produced their degradation and their vices…” (96). Thus, the “hostile” Jew was a product of the bigotry and not the cause.

To summarize, the Jewish struggle to have equalized rights in France is one of the many examples of how the establishment of a republic can be more about communal equality rather than class struggles. The Enlightened ideas from the Jewish struggle revolve around the idea that man can be judged on his character in contrast to his religion. Women were similar in their struggle as the Jews in part because they desired equality and argued similar points substituting religion for gender. Ultimately, both would gain their equality but only after years of trials and tribulations.