Causes of the French Rev

Question 1

The Ancien Regime

Answer 1

• Clergy made up 0.5% of population but owned a 1/10 of French land- didnt pay direct taxes
• Nobility 120,000 less than 1% of population, varying roles. Exempt from taille and corvees royales
• Third Estate -28 million. Bourgeoise was growing from 600,00 at beginning of 1700s to 2.3 million in 1780. Most people were paysans though. Had to pay all taxes. Peasants paid seigngueral dues too. could be conscripted or have soldiers billeted on them

Question 2

Louis Himself

Answer 2

• Absolute Monarch. Eccentric. Was not prepared for the job well by his Grandfather
• Was well-intentioned but indecisive
• Represented opulence and overspending in the form of Marie Antionette
• Didn’t command respect
• Devout Catholic who wanted to preserve the Church
• Met with ministers indiviually that led to factions
• Kept dismissing people.
• Paris parlement- Louis exiled them an used a lit justice to force new taxes through, this led to an aristocratic revolt.
• Limitations- Didn’t have all that much power in actual fact. Relied on admins and courtiers, louis was bound by laws of France . Already deep rooted social
• French Gov was not centralised
• Cahiers Doleances - at least a step

Question 3

Financial Problems

Answer 3

• Wars had left France deep in debt 1 billion from Austrian War of Succesion, 1.8 billion from 7 years war. 1.3 million from American.
• Even peace time was more than expenditure
• Borrowing worked only in the short term.
• Ineffecient tax system- Ferme Generals etc.Regional Differences
• Turgot (dismissed), Necker (resigned) bc of compte rendu, Calonne tried
• Meeting of AoN and then EG led to revolution

Question 4

Enlightenment

Answer 4

• Montesquieu- seperation of powers
• Rousseau- social contract. thought despotic monarch could be overthrown
• Voltaire criticised church but still believed in the King
• ideas spread in salons amongst middle class elite. Ideas filtered down
• Limitations- not everyone had access to books. Philosohpes dead by then

Question 5

American Revolution

Answer 5

• Debt
• New ideas
• Lafayette
• Constitution

Question 6

Social Discontent

Answer 6

Cures- didnt get much money

Middle classes- felt unequal burden, as they grew in political awarness. Size of Paris was increasing

Privelige of court nobles resented by others

Peasants still have bad situation

Question 7

Economic Problems

Answer 7

The Countryside- poor harvests, great deal of hardship. Land holding. No improvmens in methods or crops

Towns-Higher populations in towns. Food prices were high, bread riots. Bad unemployers as shown by the revellion riots

Conditions in 1789- Harvest was disatourous. Coldest months in living memory