1. Louis XVI's government was very ineffective and inefficient. The estates system contributed to the paucity of his administration as many bureaucratic positions were filled my members of the aristocracy who were ineffective administrators. The upshot of this was firstly high taxation, as nobles etc. all took a cut of tax, and secondly resentment, as the path up the social structure was blocked by nepotism and favouritism. This decentralisation of government through the aristocracy was also inefficient and chaotic. It meant that Louis had little idea how much money he was spending (and therefore how bankrupt the country actually was) government was so chaotic that 'budget' was a term unknown to French officials, and Louis' government ended up in a deficit spiral (where the interest on loan repayments is greater than tax revenue) which in turn led to even high taxes. Economic mismanagement meant that people went hungry- and as Lefebvre famously argues, the revolution began with the hungry peasants of the north. added to this economic mismanagement was Louis' image problem. Whilst the people starved, he continued his sumptuous (and very expensive) living at Versailles.
2. the effect of the estates system was to codify and make more obvious this economic grievance. With a clearly defined social structure, it was evident to the peasants, and the embryonic bourgeoisie, who their enemies were and who was responsible for their troubles; it was the clergy and aristocracy in
FRENCH REVOLUTION Old Regime Aristocratic, social, and political system established in France before the French Revolution Clergy (First estate) 10% of land “voluntary gift” instead of taxes every 5 years Nobles (Second estate) Descendants of “those who found” in Middle Ages 25% of land Lightly taxed Rights to hunt and fish Commoners (Third estate) Vast majority peasants, rural agricultural workers, urban artisans, unskilled day laborers Tension between nobility and bourgeoisie (upper…
Enslaved people had resisted the trade since it began. However French revolution introduced ideas of liberty and equality and abolishes slavery during the revolution shows support to the revolt slaves. It is possible that France wants the slaves to rebel the slave masters and become the pro France state is the rebel success. One of the examples is Toussaint l'Ouverture who fought against British and Spanish army for freedom in Saint-Domingue and took control over the island. Cost to maintain slave…
Alex Zhang Mr. DeBruin Honors World History 9 P0 14 January 2015 DBQ: Causes of the French Revolution Why do people get unhappy about the government and rebel? In the case of the French Revolution of 1789, there were several reasons why the French citizens weren’t happy about the government. Three of the main reasons consist of unfair taxation, unfair land distribution, and prices of bread. France during that time period had 3 estates. The first estate consisted of the clergy. The second one consisted…
French Revolution Between the years 1789 and 1799, it was a period of change and revolt for the French people. A lot of changes occurred during these years because people showed their disagreement with the way the power was divided in France. Therefore, those ten years were a time of change for this people. This essay will discuss the causes and the stages of the French revolution. In the first place, there are three main causes for the French revolution. The first one is the social inequality…
Causes of the French Revolution Written by: Michelle Yang Edited by: Emily Day While Louis XVI held power before the French Revolution, his grasp on the French people rapidly weakened with news of the American Revolution. Although France had been known as the country of “absolute monarchy,” when the Americans succeeded in breaking away from the British crown, the French society brought up their own revolution. France’s luxurious spending on top of its war debt enraged the overtaxed citizens…
Cause of the French Revolution. By A.Forte. Introduction The monarchy was the cause that contributed the most to the starting of the French Revolution. The King did not enforce his power so France fell into debt and poverty. France went bankrupt in 1789 at the fault of the Monarchy. However there were two other components that contributed to the French Revolution, firstly, the economy was so bad that buying a loaf of bread took up 75% of the money that was earned by the people of France…
FRENCH REVOLUTION Danielle Hernandez P. 5 Fominaya WHAT LED TO IT… King Louis XVI (1754-1793) and his luxurious expenses with extravagant purchases + France’s involvement in the American Revolution = bankruptcy Wheat and grain could not grow and cattle were plagued with disease Prices for food increased significantly making them unobtainable to peasants and urban poor. Meanwhile the King and his court were fattening themselves and eating well. Heavy taxes were imposed and rioting began…
The French Revolution The French Revolution was a period of social and political chaos in France that lasted from 1789 until 1799.Many historians still argue on what caused the French Revolution but no one can pin point what exactly caused this chaotic mess called the French Revolution. There is no one factor that could be the blame for this chaos but one of the many reasons that caused the French revolution was the years of feudal oppressions and fiscal mismanagement that led French society to revolt…
French Revolution Rhea Before the French Revolution, France was divided into three groups, or estates with their own status and role to play in the country. The First Estate involved religious people in the country. The Second Estate involved all the nobles. These two estates had many privileges, and were the wealthiest group, but were only a small piece of the entire population. The Third Estate was everyone else in the country: the peasants, poor city dwellers, and the…
French Revolution Essay To what extent did The Enlightenment cause the French Revolution in 1789? During the French revolution The Enlightenment was a cause for their progression but so was their monarchical figure and their living conditions. Do to the Enlightenment thinkers in England, the French had looked to their philosophers and their teachings, especially when it came to their government ideas. The French looked towards the Enlightenment teachings, to form a new way of life for themselves…