1.6. Economic Problems From 1787 Flashcards
What happened to lower class districts or faubourgs?
They had been made part of the old inner city by construction of new city wall as with custom posts and gates
Who built the customs gates and when?
The general tax farm between 1785-1787
What did the construction of custom gates lead to?
Food price increases in Paris
Why was there short term economic distress?
Due to a series of bad harvests in 1788-89 results in high food prices and unemployment
What did unemployment rise to?
80,000 out of 620,000 in Paris
What trade had a slump?
The textile trade
What happened in 1788-89?
Widespread food riots in many urban areas and increased numbers of attacks on food warehouses
What was an example of a food warehouse being attacked?
Marseilles in March 1789
What happened in Orleans?
There was rioting and violence with urban poor protesting the food shortages and prices
When was the riots in Orleans?
April 1789
What happened in May 1789?
Attacks on tax offices and other government offices in Limoux
When did food prices reach their peak?
July 1789 (coinciding with the storming of Bastille)
What percentage of France were serfs?
3%
Who were serfs?
Peasants who were tied to land with limited opportunity of progress
What percentage of France were landless labourers?
20%
Who were landless labourers?
Peasants who worked the land for their landlord in return for wages but could own their own home and garden
What percentage of France were sharecroppers?
45%
Who were sharecroppers?
Peasants who rented land and/or equipment from their landlord and had to give half their crops to the landlord as payment
What percentage of France were independent farmers?
32%
Who were independent farmers?
Peasants who owned their own land. They could employ landless labourers to work the fields. However, most owned small plots in areas of poor soil.
What percentage of France were peasants?
85% out of 28 million people in France
Why was there huge inflation in food prices?
Because of Turgot’s economic policy of ending price controls and bad harvests in 1788
Why was there a poor harvest in 1788?
Because of a severe drought which hit north and north western France in the summer of 1788
What was winter like in 1788-9?
It was the coldest in decades from November to March
How many days of bitter frost did Paris have?
57 days straight
What did the winter of 1788-9 mean for France?
Fruit on trees died and spoiled grain stores, worsening the food shortages
What happened when the cold snap ended?
The ice in canals and rivers melted, which resulted in widespread flooding
How much did the price of grain increase by in Paris?
50%
What happened to the textile market?
Large numbers of people were laid off, including landless labourers who also worked in trades
Where did the unemployed rural dwellers go?
Went to work in urban areas, worsening overcrowding
What did some peasants refuse to do in the winter of 1788-9?
Refused to pay taxes and dues
What happened to noble chateaux?
They were attacked in places like Provence and peasants seized back their grain that been paid for rent/dues
