ANCIEN REGIME Flashcards
describe the structure of the central government in old regime france
- there were 3 councils who would meet with the king to discuss policy (king councils)
- there were also private meetings between the king and wealthy / influential individuals (ie Sec of State for war, Controller-General (led french finances), Sec for foreign affairs, leader of the Navy etc)
- the king would appoint intendants to be royal agents to maintain monarchist rule and feed back on local rule
- intendants would need permission from the king’s council to act and enforce their laws
- the king was also reliant on the nobility
give the 3 royal councils and their jobs
- council of state - would deal with issues of the state and its affairs
- council of deputies - would deal with church affairs
- council of royal finances - manage state finances, economic policy and local costs
key words when describing the monarchy in the ancien regime
- despotic
- absolute monarchy
- divine right
what were the lettres de cachet
laws which could be forced through by the King, which could order the imprisonment of an individual
- evidence of the despotism of the king
describe the roles of intendants
- maintain support for royal rule and obtain local opinion on the work of the government
- ensured all taxes were paid - was a tax-dependent nation
- ensure the edicts of the king were enforced
- co-ordinating the police force & raise and mobilise troops
- maintain order in local courts / lead them
why may the ancien regime government composition and figures be seen to be ineffective
- a weak and indecisive king - idea of lacking authority, making him prone to being overshone by marie antoinette in making decisions
- government ministers were more focused on reputation, because ministers were unsure about the duration of their tenure and wanted to appease the king
*further links to despotism and expansive authority of the king - the king was reliant on the nobility to enforce laws, because this was the only way he obtained legitimacy
what were / was :
1. pensions
2. sinecures
3. contracts
4. gratuities
5. patronage
- sums of money given by the king as a favour
- a position with a salary, which requires minimal work
- opportunities to undertake a project for recipients to make money
- free gifts from the monarchy
- appointments to offices and obtaining privileges
describe the structure of the local government (4 tiers)
- consist of provincial governors would maintain order in these regions and could call the parlements
(1779 = 39 governors) - many provincial governor positions were inherited - ‘dynastical’ - assemblies - had pays d’etats power to agree on taxation
- officials were supervised by intendants - much of the time, these officials paid for their positions
- land-owning nobles - run their own courts
what were the pays d’etats
representative assemblies can negotiate directly with the crown on taxation
describe the idea of venality and its impact on france
when administrative offices in france were sold, if they were not inherited
- 70,000 venal offices in France in ancien regime, in the judiciary, executive and legislature, meaning there was no separation of powers, further fuelling the concept of elitism
describe the legal system, including the parlements
- there were 3 tiers of legal courts, parlement courts being the highest
- there were 13 parlement courts, which were the highest courts = ‘sovereign courts’
- the parlements system consisted of 12 magistrates (noble of the robe – those who earn their position)
- the parlements system would hear criminal and civil cases
- the Paris parlement was the most important, it had the power to check that the laws passed by the king conformed to other legislation
*clash with intendants because of their financial and legal powers – tax setting and collecting power and maintaining order in local courts
what is remonstrance and lit de justice
parlement powers exerting significant amounts of power with the king – parlements could question decrees and legislation by the king, displaying an equilibrium of power (southern france = roman law, northern france = liberal – interpret disparities)
lit de justice – king overruling the parlements and forcing their acceptance of edicts
*linked to despotism and checks and balances
describe the first estate:
- how many in first estate
- who was in the first estate
- how much land did they own
- what powers did they have
- 150,000 members - consisting of the king, clergy, church members etc
- these members controlled education, christening people, censoring ideas etc
- owned 10% of land
powers:
- power to decide their own taxation (DON GRATUIT)
- free from burden of taxation
describe the second estate
- how many in second estate
- who was in the second estate
- how much land did they own
- what powers did they have
- 200,000 members, which consisted of the nobility
- nobles of the sword and nobles of the robe – inherited vs earned position
- owned 25% of land and earnt money from this
powers:
- powers to influence government - direct access to patronage and government positions as councillors
- not pay the taille
- would pay tax, but at lower rates
- power to avoid indirect taxation
*however, the need to continue the social position led to many nobles being in debt
describe the third estate
- how many in second estate
- who was in the second estate
- how much land did they own
- what burdens did they have
- consisted of around 21 million people, and was ‘everyone else’ - those who lacked titles and social importance
- normal commoners (ie peasants, who would work the land and were accountable to their local lord, in terms of farming his land
- bourgeoisie (ie educated members of lower classes such as lawyers, who could buy land)
- owned around 35% of land
burdens:
- required to pay direct taxes
- forced todo military service
- forced unpaid labour as a direct obligation and service to the king
- forced to pay grain and cash dues
- forced to give grain or bread to nobles and those of upper classes if needed
- would pay banalites, the peasants pay to use noble land for farming, give a share of the land later
- the land lord / owner would ensure that nobody else in the area can produce these products, limiting competition and earning more money
