The common perception/stereotype of the French Revolution is that essentially nobody existed in it except the aristocrats (executed or fleeing), the peasantry (angry, vengeful, vicious), and the revolutionary leaders (generally nonexistent apart from Robespierre), which is of course wrong for a number of reasons. But lately I've been translating issues of the periodical Journal de la mode et du gout from 1790 which are very clearly not aimed at aristocrats (given how insulting it is about them), and it occurred to me that not only are the stereotypes inaccurate, they ignore a broad swath of society.
What was happening among the upper and lower middle classes, in Paris or in the provinces? I'm interested in the whole range, but in particular was wondering about the wealthier/more affluent members of the Third Estate - did many of them not involved in the National Assembly face suspicion or persecution due to their position, or did they kind of quietly skate through? Did many emigrate, or is the stereotype of the émigré(e) being of noble birth mainly accurate?
Well, the problem of the middle class is that they lacked the mobility of the aristocratic class. Economicallly they are tied to the land or their business while socially they're barred from the courts that openly accepted the emigre nobility. As a result, they're in a rough position.
The Revolution is split into multiple periods, the first being the more calm Consitutional Monarchy era which had a good mix of all the estates. Here many members of the middle class were involved in the politics. Following this is the Reign of Terror, which was the death and emigration of much of the nobility, Robespierre and the the Comittee for Public Safety effectively pushed France to the edge with it.
What followed was the moderate Thermidorian Reaction led by middle class forces that would create the Directorate. The Directorate, led by Paul Barras, would be France's government from 1793 till 1799, putting down Jacobin and Royalist revolts with ease.
With Vargas and the Directorate, the Middle class was represented but not effectively. The Directorate was a corrupt den of rats looking to profit off the Revolutionary Wars and distract the people with the war effort. It would be Napoleon who would pacify France and bring peace.
Napoleon himself would be the fullest realization of the middle class interest of the Revolution. The Napoleonic Code was made in favor of men and the middle class, respecting property rights and allowing the middle class to participate in government, and promoting trade. Even into the Empire, Napoleon would lavish titles on the middle class members who were important in government, and even mayors of major cities could find themselves as a Baron of the Empire.
At the beginning of the Revolution, those in the middle class wanted to participate in government, by the end they made up the government and we're the main source of economic support for Napoleon. It was a bumpy ride but it did work out for them until 1813.