Ancien Regime fiscal reform

Question 1

Turgot

Answer 1

1774-76: Cut royal expenses, reformed tax-farming system, Six Edicts.

Question 2

Six Edicts

Answer 2

Lit de justice March 1776: Replace indirect taxes with property tax, free trade in grain, suppression of the guilds and replacing the corvee with a landowner tax.

Question 3

Necker

Answer 3

1777-81: Reduced royal household expenses, appointed salaried officials rather than venal corporations, removed vingtieme on industry, reduced number of tax-farmers from 60 to 40, Compte Rendu au Roi 1781.

Question 4

Calonne

Answer 4

1783-87: 1783-85 increasing spending initially to take out loans. 1785-87 reducing spending.

Question 5

1786 income and expenditure

Answer 5

Income - 475 million livres. Expenditure - 587 million livres.

Question 6

1786 programme

Answer 6

General land tax, extra stamp duty, corvee royale replaced by landowner tax, removal of internal customs barriers.