The French Revolution and What Went Wrong

In his informative and eye-opening account of the French Revolution, Stephen Clarke argues that in 1789 almost no one wanted to oust King Louis XVI, let alone guillotine him. While the Bastille was being stormed by out-of-control Parisians, the true democrats were at work in Versailles creating a British-style constitutional monarchy. The founding of the Republic in 1792 unleashed a reign of terror that caused about 300,000 violent deaths, achieving only political anarchy.
And the ideals of Liberté, Egalité and Fraternité did not stop supposed "heroes of the Revolution" massacring political opponents and guillotining women for demanding equal rights.