‎ANONYMOUS - THE COMMITTEE OF GENERAL SECURITY - ‎
‎Code des comites de surveillance et revolutionnaire (+) Premier supplément au code des comités de surveillance et révolutionnaires. - [LEGAL CODE FOR THE REIGN OF TERROR DURING THE FRENCH REVOLUTION]‎

‎Paris, Impremerie du depot des lois, An II (1793). 4to. In contemporary half calf with gilt lettering and ornamentation to spine. Wear to extremities. Upper part of back hinge split, with minor loss of letters. Small dampstain to upper inner margin, otherwise a nice copy. (2), VII, (2)-116, 100, 8 pp. ‎

Reference : 60748

‎Exceedingly rare first edition of this highly interesting document being the Code of the Committees of Surveillance containing 106 regulations and guidelines for the functioning of these committees during the French Revolution. The Committees of Surveillance were established during the Reign of Terror (September 5, 1793 - July 27, 1794), as part of the revolutionary government's efforts to identify and suppress counter-revolutionary activities. These committees were tasked with monitoring individuals' behavior, enforcing revolutionary laws and ensuring loyalty to the revolutionary government. The document outlines the powers, duties, and procedures of these committees, as well as the penalties for those found to be opposing the revolution, providing a unique and fascinating insight into the legal and administrative framework of revolutionary France – arguable one of the most profound and radical moments in modern European history. The Committee of Surveillance in France during 1793 was established as a part of the radical phase of the French Revolution. Its function was to oversee and monitor the activities of suspected counter-revolutionaries and enemies of the Revolution, as well as to enforce laws related to internal security and revolutionary principles. The committee was tasked with identifying individuals or groups deemed to be a threat to the revolutionary government, often leading to arrests, interrogations, and, in some cases, executions by the Revolutionary Tribunal. It played a significant role in the Reign of Terror, a period marked by extreme political violence and repression in France. The present work is of the utmost scarcity. We have not been able to trace a single copy at auction, and OCLC only lists one copy (in Paris). Nadaillac, Catalogue d’une Collection Importante Sur la Revolution Francaise 724 ‎