Strength: 4
Type: Ranged Unit
Flavor Text: We are sleeping on a volcano. Can't you hear how the earth shakes? The winds of revolt blow, the storm is on the horizon.
Flavor Source: Alexis de Tocqueville
Artwork: A Grenadier of the Guard at Elba by Horace Vernet (1819)
About the card:
The French march to democracy was a long and sordid affair with much bloodshed and tyranny, many backsteps and oversteps. Since the time of the first French Revolution, there have been three French Republics, two French Emperors and two returns to the old Monarchy. In comparison, America, which won its independence around the same time as the first French Revolution, has largely remained uninterrupted in government aside from the Civil War. The key difference might be that after the American revolution, many loyalist to the British Crown were either expelled to Canada or Britain, leaving few supporters of monarchy left in America (see also Officer).
The French had no such luxury as the monarchy was powerful and entrenched in society. So when Napoleon led France to dominate Europe, or the most extreme revolutionaries led the country bleed itself dry in the Reign of Terror, there were vivid examples of the failures of revolution and democracy (see also Feint). We should remember, that while revolution is often necessary, it comes at a high price and with little guarantee of liberty or a just government after it's success "for one change always leaves the toothing for another" - Machiavelli, The Prince.
