Why was the guillotine used during the French Revolution?

Answer 1

to punish those who did wrong

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Chopping off the heads of those they deemed "guilty" of a heinous crime

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The guillotine was the method used by the French when executing someone, i.e., it was the French form of the death penalty. It was thought by some to be the most humane way for the state to kill someone.

Answer 2

Several devices like it already existed, though they were often not as efficient as the guillotine. Louis XVI banned the use of the Breaking wheel, which was first the method to publicly kill criminals, but this was considered too cruel (...). Monsieur Joseph-Ignace Guillotin (a member of the National Assembly) and some others of the Assembly started thinking of a way to put together the ideal killing machine that inflicted as less pain as possible. They were inspired by the Scottish Maiden, and the Halifax Gibbet. While these prior instruments usually crushed the neck or used blunt force to take off a head, their device used a crescent blade and a lunette (a hinged two part yoke to immobilize the victim's neck). Ironically, it was Louis XVI himself who suggested the blade on the guillotine to be a triangular blade with a beveled edge be used instead of a crescent blade, so it would be more humane (otherwise, the blade would have to fall several times on the victim before killing him). Louis XVI himself got beheaded by the guillotine on January 21st, 1793.

Answer 3

During the French Revolution the 'The Reign Of Terror' occurred in France. This was both due to external and internal troubles. Internally the French people was divided among themselves in their views and actions on the issue of mass murder, perpetrated by them. So a section of people began to protest against the republicans for their role in the revolution. Externally some foreign nations began to interfere in the affairs of France like Sardinia, Austria and England seeing the French people's fragile condition interfered in their affairs of state. During this session of terror and war many innocent people. who were thought to be counterrevolutionary in their thoughts were guillotined. Herein lies the significance or insignificance of the guillotine in the French Revolution.

Answer 4

It seemed the quickest method to kill a person. They also considered that method more humane. I'm not sure why though.