Jacques Pierre Brissot

Lore & Background

Brissot was born in Chartres, the 13th child of a wealthy traiteur, and trained as a law clerk. He gained notoriety as a radical writer, winning approval from Voltaire for his writings on the philosophy of law. He collaborated on the Mercure de France and the Courier de l'Europe, which sympathized with American colonial insurgents. In February 1788, he founded the anti-slavery Society of the Friends of the Blacks. With the outbreak of the revolution in July 1789, he became a vocal supporter. As a member of the Legislative Assembly, he advocated for war against Austria and other European powers, leading to the War of the First Coalition in 1792. He voted against the immediate execution of Louis XVI, making him unpopular with the Montagnards. He was friendly with Jean-Paul Marat, but by 1793 they were greatest enemies.

Reader's Guide

Brissot's significance lies in his role as a leading revolutionary and abolitionist. He founded the Society of the Friends of the Blacks, one of the first anti-slavery groups in France, and his advocacy for war against Austria helped trigger the War of the First Coalition. His leadership of the Girondins faction placed him at the center of revolutionary politics, but his conflicts with Robespierre, who accused him of royalism and of conspiring with General Dumouriez, led to his downfall. Arrested on 8 October 1793, he was guillotined alongside 28 other Girondins at the end of that month. His legacy is tied to the Girondins' moderate stance during the Reign of Terror and his early abolitionist efforts, though his execution marked a turning point in the radicalization of the Revolution.

Did You Know?

• Brissot was imprisoned in the Bastille for two months in 1784 after being falsely accused of publishing a pornographic pamphlet against Marie Antoinette.
• He visited the United States from June 1788 to January 1789 to meet with abolitionists and research investment opportunities in the Scioto Company.
• He appended 'Warville' to his surname after Ouarville, where his mother owned property.
• He was guillotined by Charles-Henri Sanson along with 28 other Girondins on 31 October 1793.

Notable Quotes (Wikiquote)

"La propriété exclusive est un vol dans la nature." — Jacques Pierre Brissot "Exclusive property is a theft against nature." — Jacques Pierre Brissot "Quoted in Hoyt's New Cyclopedia Of Practical Quotations (1922), p. 615." — Jacques Pierre Brissot "It is less difficult for a woman to obtain celebrity by her genius than to be forgiven for it." — Jacques Pierre Brissot