Who Qualified as Active Citizens under the 1791 Constitution?

Under the French Constitution of 1791, citizens were divided into active and passive categories based on wealth and tax contribution. Only active citizens could vote and participate in political life. To qualify as an active citizen, a person had to be:

1. A male aged 25 or older.
2. A French citizen by birth or residence.
3. Someone who paid taxes equal to at least three days of a laborer’s wage annually.
4. Not a servant or dependent.

Women, the poor, and slaves were excluded from political participation. Active citizens could vote for electors, who then chose members of the Legislative Assembly. Passive citizens, though protected by law, had no voting rights.

This system reflected the influence of property-based privilege even after the revolution, as it linked political rights to economic status. Revolutionaries argued that only those contributing to society through taxes were responsible enough to make political decisions. However, critics saw this as betraying revolutionary ideals of equality.

Over time, such restrictions were abolished, leading to universal male suffrage and eventually voting rights for women. The 1791 classification showed France’s early struggle to balance liberty with social hierarchy.