I think the "enigma" is the result of wanting to do somthing, but not knowing fully how or the consequesns. Robespierre was a lawyer, not a politican. He wanted to do somthing, but wasn't the type of person who could survive in politcs. A poltican has to compromise. At the end, Robespierre was forced to, the situation caused it. Look at Jean-Baptiste Carrier. I'm not defending what he did, it was terrible, but you can see how a normal person can be warped to do terrible things. The pressure in the Vandee must have been huge. With the royalist rebellion killing everyone they could, you can sort of see why he over reacted.

So on one side you have Robespiere's dreams, the other, what he thought he had to do to get there. He probably didn't like that path, but to him there was no other choice.

Has anyone here read Social Contract?