What political direction followed the Thermidorian Reaction?

• A. A rapid move to a direct democracy.
• B. A move toward conservative rule under the Directory.
• C. A return to the monarchy.
• D. A radical commune government.

Answer: (B)

After the Thermidorian Reaction the revolution moved away from radical upheaval toward order and bourgeois stability. The fall of Robespierre ended the Reign of Terror and dismantled the most extreme revolutionary structures, paving the way for a more moderate, property-minded government. The result was the Directory, a conservative republican regime with a five-person executive and a two-house legislature that favored the interests of the bourgeoisie, limited radical influence, and relied on the army to maintain control. This shift toward a cautious, conservative rule contrasts with the earlier radical phase and sets the stage for the stability-seeking but unstable Directory era that followed.