Jourdan law
Encyclopedia
The Jourdan Law of 1798 effectively institutionalised conscription
in Revolutionary France, which began with the levee en masse
.
It stipulated that all single and childless men between the ages of 20 and 25 were liable for military service
.
Exemptions existed however for the clergy, industrial workers essential for the war-effort, students from selected Grandes écoles
, and public office holders.
The law discriminated against the poor and large peasant
population through the legally sanctioned practice of 'replacement', which allowed anyone who was able, to purchase someone to enlist in their place.
It was named for the French General Jean-Baptiste Jourdan
.
Conscription
Conscription is the compulsory enlistment of people in some sort of national service, most often military service. Conscription dates back to antiquity and continues in some countries to the present day under various names...
in Revolutionary France, which began with the levee en masse
Levée en masse
Levée en masse is a French term for mass conscription during the French Revolutionary Wars, particularly for the one from 16 August 1793.- Terminology :...
.
It stipulated that all single and childless men between the ages of 20 and 25 were liable for military service
Military service
Military service, in its simplest sense, is service by an individual or group in an army or other militia, whether as a chosen job or as a result of an involuntary draft . Some nations require a specific amount of military service from every citizen...
.
Exemptions existed however for the clergy, industrial workers essential for the war-effort, students from selected Grandes écoles
Grandes écoles
The grandes écoles of France are higher education establishments outside the main framework of the French university system. The grandes écoles select students for admission based chiefly on national ranking in competitive written and oral exams...
, and public office holders.
The law discriminated against the poor and large peasant
Peasant
A peasant is an agricultural worker who generally tend to be poor and homeless-Etymology:The word is derived from 15th century French païsant meaning one from the pays, or countryside, ultimately from the Latin pagus, or outlying administrative district.- Position in society :Peasants typically...
population through the legally sanctioned practice of 'replacement', which allowed anyone who was able, to purchase someone to enlist in their place.
It was named for the French General Jean-Baptiste Jourdan
Jean-Baptiste Jourdan
Jean-Baptiste Jourdan, 1st Comte Jourdan , enlisted as a private in the French royal army and rose to command armies during the French Revolutionary Wars. Emperor Napoleon I of France named him a Marshal of France in 1804 and he also fought in the Napoleonic Wars. After 1815, he became reconciled...
.