The French Revolution and the development of pension legislation

This article examines the development of French pension legislation under the influence of the bourgeois revolution of 1789–1794. The state of the legislation on pension provision for certain categories of citizens on the eve of the revolution is examined. The study utilizes not only a chronological but also an institutional approach, focusing on the regulatory consolidation of pension institutions such as long-service pensions, insurance pensions, and social support measures (charity) for the poor and elderly. Conclusions are drawn regarding the ambiguous impact of revolutionary events on the development of pension legislation. On the one hand, the French Revolution interrupted the progressive development of legislation on long-service pensions and social insurance. On the other hand, the collapse of the old order and the constitutional entrenchment of Enlightenment ideas subsequently enabled the establishment of new social protection measures for the elderly, which can be viewed today as the first steps toward achieving the ideals of equality and justice. At the same time, many provisions proclaimed during the years of the revolution received their legislative form and practical implementation after the conservative forces came to power, during the periods of the First Empire and the Legitimate Monarchy.