1.3. Financial Problems And Attemps To Deal With Them Flashcards
When was the war of Austrian succession?
1740-1748
How much did the war of Austrian succession cost?
1 billion livres
When was the seven years war?
1756-63
How much did the seven years war cost?
1.3 billion livres
When was the American revolutionary war?
1778-83
How much did the American revolutionary war cost?
1.07 billion livres
How much was royal income in 1788?
503 million livres
How much was royal expenditure in 1788?
629 million livres
How was the cost of war covered?
By loans and taxation
How much of royal expenditure was spent on interest by 1788?
60% of royal expenditure was spent on interest alone
Why was the taxation system of the ancien regime inefficient?
There were lots of exemptions for estates
What was tax farming?
A system where the Farmers-general paid an agreed sum to the crown and collected indirect taxation on the crowns behalf - keeping any surplus beyond the agreement as profit
What was the tax system based on?
Tax farming
Why were there complications of collecting taxes?
Each region had a different set of taxes and rules
What did Louis XV think about the crowns expenditure?
He said après moi le deluge (it will be someone else’s problem when I die)
How much was annual deficit by the 1780s?
37 million livres
What was the total debt by the 1780s?
235 million livres
Who was Turgot?
An eminent expert in economics who was heavily influenced by the philosophes of the period
What did Turgot become?
Controller General of Finances
When did Turgot become Controller General of Finances?
1774