Geneva Revolution of 1782

The Geneva Revolution of 1782 (French: La révolution genevoise de 1782) was a short-lived revolutionary attempt to broaden voting rights and include men of modest means in the republican government of the oligarchic Republic of Geneva.

Background

In 1782, the constitution of the Republic of Geneva, a small Swiss city-state, limited the franchise to 1,500 well-to-do male burghers, (upper middle class citizens, mostly merchants) About 5,000 lower middle-class "natives"—male Genevans born to long-standing Geneva families—lived in the city but were excluded from voting or serving in office. These men worked as artisans and craftsmen in various trades, principally watchmakers. Also excluded from the franchise were a larger number of "habitants": residents whose roots lay in the republic but outside the city, or whose families had immigrated to Geneva from elsewhere.

For two decades, the city's politics had opposed the Négatifs, who supported the traditional aristocratic and oligarchical governance by a closed corporation, to the Représantants of more democratic views.

Course of events

Agitation for a broader franchise had been ongoing for years; on 5 February 1781, unenfranchised men, both "habitants" and "natives", broke into the municipal armory and armed themselves. In response, the General Council of Geneva, the largest of the city's legislative bodies, voted to grant voting rights to 100 "natives" and 20 "habitants". The select legislative body, the Genevan Small Council, baulked at ratifying this token offer of enfranchisement, stalling for over a year before, in April 1782, voting to block it.

Within hours of the vote, revolutionaries occupied the City Hall, closed the city gates, held the "no voters" (i.e. Négatifs) hostage, and convinced the Representatives of the General Council to support them.