Thermidorian
- noun
- /ˌθɜrmɪˈdɔriən/
- Formal
- In the aftermath of the revolution, the Thermidorian group sought to impose stability and order in a society still reeling from upheaval.
- Thermidorian reaction
Examples
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After a power struggle, Thermidorian reaction.
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Crane Brinton suggests the "universality of the Thermidorian reaction," meaning that the revolutionary process experiences the decline of utopianism and a return to normality.
Academic text (1998) -
Traditionalist politicians may use the election to stage a Thermidorian reaction, to reestablish themselves, defeat the technocrats, and return to the anti-American nationalism and the economic populism of Mexico's history.
Academic text (1999) -
Many historians consider Robespierre's fall as a major turning point for the Thermidorian reaction, leading to the rise of more moderate leaders.
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As a Thermidorian, he played a crucial role in moderating the radical changes brought on by the earlier phases of the revolution.
Surface Forms
Etymology
A Thermidorian originally named a person who supported the Thermidorian Reaction after the most extreme leaders were removed, and the name comes from Thermidor with the root therm- meaning 'heat', like thermometer. Because the revolution's 'heat' was seen as cooling then, a Thermidorian is someone who helped end the radical phase and bring in more moderate government.
