Frédéric-César de La Harpe and the Helvetic Republic (1798–1800)

The Swiss Frédéric-César de La Harpe, who served as tutor to the Russian Emperor Ale-xander I, subsequently assumed a pivotal role in the history of his native country. He participated actively in the revolution that swept across Switzerland in 1798, ultimately becoming one of the most prominent figures in the new Helvetic Republic. Historiography has presented a complex assessment of his endeavours, accompanied by allegations of a betrayal of national interests. The objective of this study is to re-examine these assessments in the context of contemporary research on the history of Switzerland. It presents a fresh analysis of sources, including some that have only recently become available to the academic community, such as La Harpe’s correspondence and notes on state affairs that he compiled for Alexander I. The principal goal of this article is to examine La Harpe’s role in the construction of a new state. To this end, it will identify his contribution to the events of the Helvetic Revolution of 1798 and analyse the circumstances that allowed him to play a prominent part in this revolutionary process. As a result, he was appointed to the highest executive body of the republic. The article then goes on to analyse the main political projects that were implemented in the Helvetic Republic with the participation of La Harpe, as well as his role in the political struggle between different parties. The source study permits a comprehensive examination of La Harpe’s trajectory from an exile politician to the most powerful figure in the country, elucidating the pivotal reforms he initiated, the challenges he faced in governing, and the circumstances that led to his downfall following a coup d’état at the beginning of the year 1800. The most significant conclusion of the study is that La Harpe’s political views were internally contradictory. Despite espousing the liberal principles of the Enlightenment, he simultaneously sought to establish an authoritarian regime within the republic.