Sieyès

[sye-yes]

noun

1. Emmanuel Joseph Abbé Sieyès, 1748–1836, French priest and revolutionist.

Sieyès

/ sjejɛs /

noun

1. Emmanuel Joseph (ɛmanɥɛl ʒozɛf), called Abbé Sieyès. 1748–1836, French statesman, political theorist, and churchman, who became prominent during the Revolution following the publication of his pamphlet Qu'est-ce que le tiers état? (1789). He was instrumental in bringing Napoleon I to power (1799)

Example Sentences

Then he posted the opening lines of “What Is the Third Estate?” a tract published by the Abbé Sieyès in January 1789, that took up the cause of the common classes: “We have three questions before us. One — What is the Third Estate? EVERYTHING. Two — What has it been until now in the political order? NOTHING. Three — What is it asking for? TO BE SOMETHING.”

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With the Abbe Sieyès, Talleyrand and Napoleon organized the overthrow of the Directory on Nov. 9, 1799 — the 18th Brumaire, as it was called by the revolutionary calendar.

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The French revolutionists, though rejecting the proposal of Siéyès and Condorcet to accord political emancipation to women, established at least an equal succession of sons and daughters, and thus initiated a great reformation of both law and opinion, which sooner or later must traverse the world.

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Many, like Sieyès formerly, will vote “la mort et sans phrase,” but we shall read of unctuous motives alleged by the volunteers for their votes.

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He says of the fourth estate what Sieyès said of the third, What is the fourth estate?

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