2024.68.2

>LITTERARIA PRAGENSIA 2024 (34) 68

How to Do Things with Oaths: Militancy and Loyalty in the French Revolutions

Francesco Buscemi

 FULL TEXT   

 ABSTRACT (en)

French Revolutionary oaths constituted one of the most common political practices during the revolutionary decade 1789-1799. They have drawn the attention of some of the most influential interpreters of the age of revolutions, who have tended to analyze their use in specific circumstances without considering the personal stakes these solemn promises implied. By looking at the social history of oathtaking and the emotional engagement embodied in its everyday practice, this article highlights how recourse to oaths gave meaning to revolutionary experiences and enabled the rise of a new conception of political loyalty.

 KEYWORDS (en)

loyalty, oaths, emotions, revolution, France, political culture

 DOI

https://doi.org/10.14712/2571452X.2024.68.2

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