any of this sound familiar...?

A SHORT HISTORY LESSON

Ever heard of the French Revolution’s “Reign of Terror”, a time in which hundreds of thousands were arrested, over 15,000 death sentences (mostly by guillotine) were handed out. Many thousands also died in prison. This was all overseen by the aptly named French Committee of Public Safety. (Nice, huh? How many of the people bought into the rhetoric?) After all, there had been a revolution, and then counter-revolutions so, as Wikipedia tells us, “The members of the [leadership] were determined to avoid street violence such as the September Massacres of 1792 by taking violence into their own hands as an instrument of government.”

One of the leaders of the Committee of Public Safety, who was pro-gullotine for the public safety (of course, always for the public safety), was Robespierre. He seems to have believed that terror was virtuous, saying, “Terror is nothing more than speedy, severe and inflexible justice.” Since those in charge believed their rule was the will of the people, anyone against their rule must be pro-tyranny. (Tell me where I've heard this before?) Thus, the opposition must be purged! Since the new leaders "represented the people", and the aristocracy (the wealthy) and the religious were suspect, being part of the old order, the wealthy and the religious had to be purged. “Science!” and "reason" would be the rule. (Thus, they scientifically removed people’s heads.)

As always, the leaders (not the people) desired and granted themselves unprecedented powers to do what they wished. And, as always happens, the leaders began fighting amongst themselves. When power has to answer to no one, every evil leader wants that power. Robespierre ended up getting caught between those who thought him not harsh enough and those who thought his methods were a bit too harsh. 

Robespierre ended up losing his head to the guillotine as well. 

That's the end of our bedtime history lesson