THE ORIGIN, THE FORMATION AND THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE FRENCH GENDARMERIE NATIONALE

The author considers the transformation of the «Marechaussee» to a professional police organization which was a military body during the Old regime. Great French Revolution had the most decisive influence on it. The «Marechaussee», which was associated with the king, was transformed into the «Gendarmerie nationale», which gradually became an instrument of law consolidation in the life of French society.