CLEP Western Civ II

Answer: B - The Thermidorian Reaction describes the period of working-class uprisings after the death of Robespierre. The Committee of Public Safety had gotten out of hand, and upon its decision to execute Robespierre, several of the more invasive policies were dropped, particularly those relating to economic control of the state. While the abandonment of these policies loosened the Committee's hold on France, the working class, who had suffered greatly under the policies, saw no relief from the financial problems that had motivated the Committee's economic policy. When the policies were removed, inflation rose. As a result, working-class protests broke out all over Europe, and troops were called to maintain order for the first time in years.